Biography
Vic Dana, a Buffalo native first recognized for his prowess as a tap dancer, moved to Los Angeles on the advice of Sammy Davis, Jr., and soon shifted focus toward a career in singing. In the early 1960s he stepped in as the touring frontman for the Fleetwoods, a pop ensemble, while original vocalist Gary Troxel completed his service in the U.S. Navy. At the same time Dana launched his own recordings in the style of romantic adult contemporary pop, achieving his biggest success with the 1965 single “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” which climbed into the Billboard Top Ten. Additional singles from the decade that performed strongly on the charts included “Shangri-La,” “Little Altar Boy,” and “I Love You Drops.” He later scored a modest hit in 1970 by covering Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine.” By the middle of the 1970s his commercial momentum had largely subsided, and his final single to reach a national chart was 1976’s “Lay Me Down (Roll Me Out to Sea),” which rose into the Top 20 of the U.S. Adult Contemporary list. Outside music, Dana appeared in a few motion pictures, among them the 1962 release Don’t Knock the Twist and the 1964 Bob Hope comedy A Global Affair. He later withdrew from entertainment altogether and made his home in Paducah, Kentucky.
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