Dean switched to Reprise in 1961 but for three years, he only managed to reach 93 once, and 94 the second time!

Another 8 singles failed to make even the Hot 100.

During the same period (1961 to 1964), Frank only made the Top 40 once (with "A Pocketful Of Miracles") and by then, Reprise was running into financial problems, so much so that Sinatra had to sell out to Warner Brothers around 1963.

They brought in new producers (like Jimmy Bowen) to modernise Martin and Sinatra, and they fired all the old-timer Rat Pack pals like Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford and Rosemary Clooney - importing instead acts like the Kinks, Dino, Desi & Billy (Dino being Dean Martin's son) and Nancy Sinatra (Frank's daughter), although they did at least turn down Charles Manson who was obviously nobody's child!

Luckily, "Everybody" and "Something Stupid" rescued Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, and they stayed on Reprise.

I think a lot of DJs (and most station owners) were very concerned about all the Payola investigations (which had killed Alan Freed's career), snd of course, much of this scandal was laid (rightly or wrongly) at the door of the Mafia, who (allegedly) were laundering money through investment in record labels.

So, for a few years, there was a feeling amongst radio people that anybody with Mafia ties was to be avoided, particularly while Robert F Kennedy was Attorney General - and as a result, Frank and Dino suffered as regards airplay (and lots of others too).

But let's be honest about it, almost any crooner who wanted to make it in the 50's, whether he knew it or not, ended up dealing with the Mafia one way or another.

One of the most revealing throwaway lines in "Goodfellas" is when Bobby Vinton (played I think by his own real-life son), sends over a bottle of champagne to Henry Hill's table at the Copacabana night club, when Hill takes his future wife on a date.

Strange thing is that it was possibly not true - Henry Hill actually stated that it was Sammy Davis who sent them champagne!

Perhaps everybody in show business sent everybody else champagne in those days?

It's all such a long time ago, and it could not happen now.

Nowadays, the banks have taken over from the Mafia, so it's all quite legal.

bada bing bada boom

• RE: Dean Martin Question - John 02/22/2012 16:07:20 EST (1)