Did You Know? 5 Vic Damone Facts

by Lara on June 4th, 2008

Vic Damone was born “Vito Farinola” in Brooklyn, New York in June of 1928. He has married five times, divorced four. His current wife is Rena Rowan (who was Co-Founder & Executive Vice President of Jones of New York (Jones Apparel Group) until 2000. Previously, she was the company’s head designer.) Prior to that, he was married to actress Diahann Carroll (as pictured in the photo above).
At 14, he worked as an usher at the NYC Paramount. His father was an electrician who played guitar and his mother taught piano. He left Lafayette High School in Brooklyn at sixteen to support his family, but returned to graduate in 1997.
In the late 1950s, Damone was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by a drummer in his band. Damone relates his rendition of “On the Street Where You Live” incorporates gestures meant to summon a sustaining vitality from `Abdu’l-Bahá. He officially joined the religion in the early 1960s.
At an early age he decided to imitate his favorite crooner, Frank Sinatra, and began taking voice lessons. Sinatra once said (much later on) that Damone had “the best set of pipes in the business”.
His first release, “I Have But One Heart” (August 30, 1947) reached #7 on the Billboard chart.

Images credit: Newscom