The Four Lads
The Four Lads grew up together in Toronto, Ontario, and were members of St. Michael's Cathedral Choir School, where they learned to sing. The founding members were Corrado Codarini, bass; Bernie Toorish, lead;
James Arnold, first tenor; and Frank Busseri, baritone and group manager. At home, they practiced until they achieved their clean-cut harmonies, whether for spirituals, sacred music, or pop. They originally called themselves The Four Dukes but found out that a Detroit group already used that name, so changed to The Four Lads. In 1950 they began to sing in local clubs and soon were noticed by scouts. Recruited to go to New York, they were noticed by Mitch Miller, who asked them to do backup for some of the artists he recorded. One unknown artist Johnnie Ray, became a major hit with "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud that Cried" with the Four Lads behind him. This made them well known.
In 1953 they made their own first gold record, "Istanbul", which launched them to stardom and kept them busy throughout the 50s and 60s in the USA and Canada. Today, a reconsituted group, with original singer Frank Busseri, sings to the nostalgia crowds.
Their most famous hit was "Moments to Remember" in 1955, and their next best known was "Standin' on the Corner" in 1956.
They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
Jimmy Arnold died of lung cancer on June 15, 2004 in Sacramento, California at the age of 72.
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