‘Mr Nice Guy’ Perry Como (1912–2001). As a barber, Perry Como entertained his customers by singing cheerful songs, and when he turned this into his profession he became one of the most beloved entertainers, cherished for his warm personality and pleasant manner of singing.
He was called ‘Mr Nice Guy’, or sometimes ‘Mr Class’.
Born as the seventh son of a father who was also a seventh son, he was considered fortunate according to Italian tradition.
Perry Como was regarded as the most relaxed of all vocalists; he sounded so laid back that it sometimes seemed as if he might fall asleep in the middle of a song, earning him the less flattering nickname ‘Perry Coma’.
He excelled in light-hearted songs such as Mandolins in the Moonlight, but was also an excellent balladeer in repertoire like They Can’t Take That Away, I’ve Got the World on a String, and It’s Easy to Remember.
While many of his contemporaries were swept aside by pop music, Como’s career was given new momentum by his mega-hit It’s impossible.
A portrait of Mister Nice Guy.
