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186:, the son of Anna Bernadette Lovella, a seamstress, and Phillip Roselli, a boxer. His mother died two days after he was born and his father abandoned him, leaving him in the care of his aunts and his widowed grandfather, Michael Roselli, who spoke no English. He grew up five doors down from
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magazine states, "guys were trying to put a stranglehold on him. He pushed them all away." Although he was on good terms with a number of mob chieftains, he claimed that he had "never done business with organized criminals". In 1970, Roselli refused
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and served in northern France and Vienna. After the war, he returned to
Hoboken, where he married Angeline Giuffra and had a daughter. During this time, he worked as a construction worker and a pianist. He received his first break in 1954 when
230:. It sold over three million records in 1963. It never was a hit song for him, but is considered his signature song. His only charting pop hit was a 1967 remake of "There Must Be a Way", a song previously recorded by
291:. After this incident, Roselli was blackballed from singing in clubs and venues owned or controlled by Mafia associates. At times, he was relegated to selling his music out of the trunk of his car parked in
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Later, as the influence of the Mafia waned, Roselli's career experienced a resurgence. In 1989, he found success in the United
Kingdom when he played a series of concerts at the
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New York Times book review, "The
Wedding Singer: A biography of a crooner who never quite made the big time," by Vincent Patrick (December 27, 1998)
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easy listening chart. Those were his only U.S. hit singles, although his version of "When Your Old
Wedding Ring Was New" twice appeared in the
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Jimmy
Roselli is a favorite among Italian-Americans and his signature tune "Mala Femmina" is featured twice in
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easy listening chart. His third and last hit song was "Please
Believe Me" in 1968. That song was No. 31 on the
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251:. He also had success with the song "All The Time" that same year. The song reached No. 19 on the
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The Music Men: The Guys Who Sang With the Bands and Beyond – Richard
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He sang the title song "Who Can Say?" for the 1966 Italian documentary film
174:(December 26, 1925 – June 30, 2011) was an American pop singer and pianist.
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chart, "There Must Be a Way" was an easy-listening hit, reaching No. 13 in
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883:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 470.
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mentioned an incident he witnessed regarding
Roselli during the
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He had success with the song "Mala
Femmena" on his first album
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957:"That Other Guy From Hoboken Who Can Fill A Casino Showroom"
363:. A feature film about Jimmy Roselli is being developed by
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said of him that "Roselli sings as an
Italian should sing".
190:, who was ten years his senior. In 1944, Roselli joined the
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263:. It peaked at number 51 in 1983, and number 52 in 1987.
335:. During the 1990s, he also headlined various shows at
316:. Other Neapolitan songs recorded by Roselli include "
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Roselli died of heart failure in 2011 at his home in
805:"Jimmy Roselli, Italian-American Singer, Dies at 85"
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At the beginning of his career, with appearances on
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299:(he was the founder and owner of M&R Records).
198:. During the war, he witnessed the sinking of the
357:Making The Wiseguys Weep: The Jimmy Roselli Story
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860:Evanier, David (March 25, 1996). "Jimmy Roselli
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384:Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia
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1052:United States Army personnel of World War II
276:, critics were calling him a "miracle". As
930:"Remembering the other voice from Hoboken"
234:. In addition to reaching No. 93 on the
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831:Patrick, Vincent (December 27, 1998).
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289:Italian-American Civil Rights League
16:Italian-American singer (1925–2011)
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1022:American people of Italian descent
932:, Queens Ledger, September 8, 2011
355:A book in the late 1990s entitled
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272:, with Jimmy Durante, and at the
881:British Hit Singles & Albums
381:in the former FBI agent's book,
210:arranged for him to appear with
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803:Fox, Margalit (July 10, 2011).
476:Sold Out: Carnegie Hall Concert
1047:United Artists Records artists
955:Kent, Bill (August 11, 1993).
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633:"I'm Gonna Change Everything"
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726:"My Heart Cries For You"
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879:Roberts, David (2006).
410:Showcase: Jimmy Roselli
228:Showcase: Jimmy Roselli
650:"There Must Be a Way"
616:"Just Say I Love Her"
196:66th Infantry Division
43:Background information
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904:Italian Tribune News
833:"The Wedding Singer"
681:"Please Believe Me"
488:Rock-a-Bye Your Baby
452:Right from the Heart
379:Feast of San Gennaro
269:The Ed Sullivan Show
182:Roselli was born in
53:Michael John Roselli
945:, November 4, 1966.
524:Saloon Songs Vol. 3
482:There Must Be a Way
470:Saloon Songs Vol. 2
458:The Christmas Album
397:Clearwater, Florida
184:Hoboken, New Jersey
88:Clearwater, Florida
943:Las Vegas Magazine
915:Timothy K. Smith,
837:The New York Times
810:The New York Times
416:This Heart of Mine
314:Neapolitan dialect
192:United States Army
73:, New Jersey, U.S.
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864:Did It His Way".
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987:Find a Grave
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118:Years active
83:(2011-06-30)
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1007:2011 deaths
1002:1925 births
403:Discography
365:James Ivory
326:Jerry Lewis
996:Categories
756:References
274:Copacabana
232:Joni James
178:Early life
64:1925-12-26
49:Birth name
788:April 24,
297:Manhattan
257:Billboard
253:Billboard
243:Billboard
237:Billboard
134:, M&R
122:1954–2011
866:New York
279:New York
200:SS
842:May 23,
816:May 23,
558:Hot 100
548:Single
538:Singles
239:Hot 100
172:Roselli
143:Website
71:Hoboken
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862:Really
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532:(1972)
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222:Career
127:Labels
95:Genres
90:, U.S.
723:1969
678:1968
647:1967
630:1966
613:1965
596:1964
579:1963
545:Year
391:Death
168:Jimmy
885:ISBN
844:2014
818:2014
790:2012
777:ISBN
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367:and
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