Carmen Lombardo

Carmen Lombardo (July 16, 1903 – April 17, 1971) was lead saxophonist and featured vocalist for his brother Guy Lombardo’s orchestra. He was also a successful composer. In 1927, Carmen Lombardo was the vocalist of the hit record Charmaine, performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. Early years Lombardo was born in London, Ontario, Canada. As a child, he took flute lessons, and later learned to play saxophone. He had three brothers who also became musicians: Guy, Lebert, and Victor. Career As a young man played in the Lombardo Brothers Concert Company with Guy on violin and another brother, Lebert, on trumpet or piano. As the band grew, Guy became conductor, and the band developed into The Royal Canadians in 1923, in which Carmen both sang and wrote music. He frequently collaborated with American composers and his music was recorded by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and others. Many of his compositions have also been used in Woody Allen films. When singing songs like “Alone at a Table for Two” he would allow his voice to tremble, and seem nearly to break into tears-he was caricatured in Warner Brothers cartoons as “Cryman” Lombardo. In the late 1960s, actor-raconteur Tony Ran