Tony Butala
Anthony Butala | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 20, 1940 Sharon, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1948–2019 |
| Known for | Principal singer for The Lettermen (1958–2019) |
Anthony Francis Butala (born November 20, 1940) is an American vocalist who served as the principal singer for the vocal ensemble The Lettermen from 1958 until his retirement in 2019. He holds the distinction of being the sole surviving founding member. In February 2020, The Lettermen were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Early life
Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania to Mary Ann (Ference) and John George Butala, Anthony was the eighth child among eleven siblings and is of Croatian heritage. His upbringing took place on his grandparents' farm, where he cultivated an early affinity for country living and hunting, successfully harvesting his first deer at the age of twelve.
Career
Butala's professional singing journey began in 1948 on "Starlets on Parade," a Saturday morning broadcast on KDKA radio based in Pittsburgh. In 1951, he relocated to California with his mother and became a member of the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir, performing with them until 1954. During this period, he lent his voice as the singing character Lost Boy Fox/Slightly in Disney's animated feature Peter Pan (1953).
Following his vocal maturation, Butala transitioned into the role of assistant choir director while pursuing further education. As an adolescent, he performed in a quartet named "The Fourmost," which included future notable artist Connie Stevens. This early experience served as a foundation for his later involvement with The Lettermen.
The initial informal group that evolved into The Lettermen was established in 1958, comprising Butala, Mike Barnett, and Talmadge Russell. After several lineup changes, the successful trio consisted of Butala alongside Bob Engemann and Jim Pike. Their breakthrough came in 1961 with the single "The Way You Look Tonight," which climbed to number 13 on U.S. charts and earned a gold certification. Although their presence on pop charts diminished by 1969, The Lettermen sustained their recording and touring activities with ongoing success.
Business interests
Butala is proprietor of Butala Vineyards, founded on a ranch he acquired in Chatsworth, California, where he planted vineyards beginning in 1969. Over the next twenty years, he expanded his holdings by purchasing an additional estate near the southern Vaca Mountain Range adjacent to Napa Valley. He initiated commercial wine production in 1992 under the Castlebrooke label and continues to cultivate both wine and table grapes supplied to other vintners.
Personal life
In 1969, Butala married Judith Ann Blaskovich; although they later divorced, they maintained a cordial relationship until her passing in a car accident on October 10, 2006. Together they had four children—Anthony, Rebecca, Lisa, and Regina—and were grandparents to five grandchildren.