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Dean Martin music biography continued...

1917, Martin began his show business career at age seventeen, singing in Ohio nightclubs near his hometown. During a stint with the Ernie McKay band, he was noticed by Cleveland bandleader Sammy Watkins, who hired him as the band's featured vocalist. He began touring with Watkins in 1938, and in 1940, changed his name to Dean Martin. In September 1943, Martin signed an exclusive contract with MCA to sing at the Riobamba Room in New York, and in 1944 he was given his own fifteen-minute radio program broadcasting from New York City, Songs by Dean Martin. In 1946 he signed a contract and recorded four songs with Diamond Records. Soon after, Martin teamed with Jerry Lewis to become Hollywood's most successful comedy team and one of the most popular Las Vegas attractions. In 1962, Martin left a deal with Capitol Records and signed with Reprise. In 1964, he recorded his blockbuster hit, "Everybody Loves Somebody," which beat the Beatles to become the No. 1 hit in America for one week. It became the theme song for his television variety series, The Dean Martin Show, which ran on NBC for eight years starting in 1965. This was followed by the similarly-styled "The Door is Still Open to My Heart", which reached number six later that year. In 1956, Martin had another blockbuster hit on his hands with "That's Amore." By 1965, some of Martin's albums, such as The Hit Sound Of Dean Martin, Welcome To My World and Gentle On My Mind were composed of country and western songs made famous by artists like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens. Martin hosted country performers on his TV show and was named "Man Of the Year" by the Country Music Association in 1966, establishing him as an entertainment icon.



Recording over 100 albums and 600 songs, before he passed away Martin died of acute respiratory failure, at his home on Christmas morning 1995, at the age of 78. But the "King of Cool" left behind a musical legacy that inspires awe to this day.