Tony Martin

Tony Martin emerged as a favored vocalist throughout the 1940s and 1950s, his measured phrasing and sentimental songs aligning more closely with classic screen musicals than with the shifting directions that defined popular music during the latter half of the twentieth century. Drawing cues from performers such as Russ Columbo, he had already appeared in several Hollywood musical productions before scoring his debut chart success in 1938 with “Now It Can Be Told,” recorded alongside the Ray Noble Orchestra. Conscripted into naval service amid World War II, reports that he had paid for an officer’s rank complicated his return to steady employment once the conflict ended. A short yet productive period with Mercury Records between 1946 and 1947 revived his momentum, prompting a shift to RCA where he accumulated numerous pop successes across the following ten years. Additional opportunities arose in radio and television, while he and his spouse—the dancer and actress Cyd Charisse—achieved strong results on the nightclub circuit.