Biography
Born in Denver on April 7, 1924, Nick Perito launched his musical path on the accordion before shifting to piano and completing a degree in music at the University of Denver. While serving as an Army medic in World War II, he also performed with military ensembles. After the war he enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music and earned his diploma in 1949. During the 1950s the Hollywood composer and arranger worked as a songwriter in New York City, where he created such hits as “Stay with Me” and “We Are Love.” He joined crooner Perry Como in 1963, only months before the singer’s long-running television series came to an end.
Perito nevertheless stayed Como’s principal collaborator for the next four decades, guiding countless television specials, recordings, and tours. He likewise served as music director for broadcasts starring Andy Williams and the husband-and-wife team Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme. Across his career he collected a dozen Emmy nominations, earning the greatest praise for his work on the Kennedy Center Honors programs. In 2004 he issued his memoir, I Just Happened to Be There: Making Music with the Stars. Perito died of pulmonary fibrosis in Hollywood on August 3, 2005.
Perito nevertheless stayed Como’s principal collaborator for the next four decades, guiding countless television specials, recordings, and tours. He likewise served as music director for broadcasts starring Andy Williams and the husband-and-wife team Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme. Across his career he collected a dozen Emmy nominations, earning the greatest praise for his work on the Kennedy Center Honors programs. In 2004 he issued his memoir, I Just Happened to Be There: Making Music with the Stars. Perito died of pulmonary fibrosis in Hollywood on August 3, 2005.
Albums
