Tony DeFranco

When Tony DeFranco was a little boy in Ontario, Canada, he belonged to an instrumental quintet that was composed of his siblings. The family played throughout the area, with four-year-old Tony on maracas, brothers Nino and Benny on guitars, sister Merlina on drums, and sister Marisa on accordion and organ. The venues didn't vary much from regional television, weddings, and parades, and Tony DeFranco didn't entertain any notion of becoming the family act's lead singer. In fact, he didn't even want to sing. His mother changed his mind with a five-dollar bribe, and he consented to belt out "Hey Jude" on stage at a Toronto banquet. Following an enthusiastic response from the audience, the act incorporated singing into their sets and the DeFranco Family, with young Tony's alto at the forefront, was on its way. On the heels of the DeFranco Family's growing popularity, a friend submitted a photo of them to Tiger Beat Magazine. Charles Laufer, publisher of the teen-oriented publication, thought he spotted a winner in the family's bright smiles and clean-cut looks. He brought them to California, financed photo shoots and a demo, and featured them prominently in Tiger Beat. Laufer brought the demo to 20th Century Records chief Russ Regan, who offered the DeFrancos a contract. Walt Meskell was brought on board as producer and undertook the job of preparing the youthful Tony DeFranco to record a debut album. With their youngest sibling leading the way, the DeFrancos scored big for their first time at bat in the summer of 1973 with "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat." Within a month, the family appeared on American Bandstand with Dick Clark, the first of an eventual total of nine appearances on the show. Sales of the single topped two million copies. Television spots followed on shows...