Nick Perito

Born in Denver, Perito's start in music was at an early age, when he received an accordion as a gift from his parents. Both his uncle and brother encouraged his learning by gifts of sheet music; as he mastered one song, he would then be given a new one as an incentive.{{cite web|url=http://www.ottobruno.org/?p=57|title=Nick Perito Interview|author=Bruno, Otto|publisher=OttoBruno.org|access-date=1 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423091620/http://www.ottobruno.org/?p=57|archive-date=23 April 2012}} Perito started performing at parties at a young age and received a scholarship to the Lamont School of Music, studying at the University of Denver.

Being drafted in 1943 took him to New York, where he served as an Army medic in World War II; he also played piano and did musical arrangements for the Army band. The band musicians were given passes on weekends if there were no military engagements for them and were allowed to pick up jobs during this time. Perito remained in New York after World War II, entering the Juilliard School of Music and graduating from the college in 1949.

Perito went home to Denver to marry his high school sweetheart, Judy Stone, and worked at Denver's KOA with his own weekday radio program in 1946.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8hkEAAAAMBAJ&q=nick+perito&pg=PT10|title=Too Short For a Head|date=10 August 1946|publisher=Billboard|access-date=12 April 2011}} The couple then settled in New York, where he worked as a songwriter, arranger, and accordion/piano session musician.{{cite book|last1=Macfarlane|first1=Malcolm|last2=Crossland|first2=Ken|title=Perry Como: A Biography and Complete Career Record|year=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-3701-6|page=124|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iymN4zko8JkC&pg=PA124}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qvdBUdtXVswC&q=nick+perito&pg=PA165|title=Dorothy Dandridge: An Intimate Biography|editor-last=Mills|editor-first=Earl|year=1997|page=190|publisher=Holloway House|isbn=0-87067-899-X|access-date=30 March 2011}} Perito also had his own band that had a permanent spot at Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant, owned by the boxer.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_iPUDAAAAMBAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_iPUDAAAAMBAJ/page/n28 37]|quote=nick perito.|title=Music--As Written|date=5 June 1948|publisher=Billboard|access-date=12 April 2011}} His first association with Perry Como came through Como's arranger, Ray Charles, in the early 1950s. Como had recorded a novelty song, "Hoop-De-Doo", and Perito was hired to accompany him on accordion for television performances of the song. He became the musical director of United Artists Records in 1961.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCAEAAAAMBAJ&q=nick+perito&pg=PA3|title=E. Mathews to UA A.&R. Post|date=16 October 1961|publisher=Billboard|access-date=12 April 2011}}

In 1963, Como's musical conductor, Mitchell Ayres, wanted to hire some new arrangers for Como's television show; Ray Charles recommended Perito to Ayres. When Ayres left to take a job as the conductor of The Hollywood Palace, Perito became the singer's music director and conductor. Como credited Perito with the idea of recording his final album, Today (1987).{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JhATAAAAIBAJ&pg=5540,2136710&dq=perry+como&hl=en|title=In fourth quarter, the game's still fun|author=Campbell, Mary|date=12 October 1987|publisher=Spokane Chronicle|access-date=14 January 2011}} Perito continued to work with the singer through his very last performance: Como's Irish Christmas special in 1994.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417802/|title=Irish Christmas|publisher=Internet Movie Database|access-date=11 April 2011}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jhMEAAAAMBAJ&q=nick+perito&pg=PA7-IA5|title=Perry Como, Easy-Listening Pioneer, Passes On|date=26 May 2001|publisher=Billboard|access-date=12 April 2011}} When Mitchell Ayres was killed in a traffic accident in 1969, former Como show producer Nick Vanoff, who was now with The Hollywood Palace, suggested Perito as Ayres' replacement.{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117927630|title=Nick Perito Obituary|date=16 August 2005|publisher=Variety|access-date=30 March 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bigbandlibrary.com/mitchellayres.html|title=Mitchell Ayres-Scratchin' the Surface|author=Popa, Christopher|publisher=Big Band Library|access-date=28 June 2010}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889289/|title=Nick Vanoff|publisher=IMDB|access-date=30 March 2011}}

Perito's other credits include the Kennedy Center Honors, where he again worked with Vanoff. He was also the musical director for the American Film Institute awards, as well as The Don Knotts Show, Andy Williams and Bing Crosby television specials.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-15-me-perito15-story.html|title=Nick Perito, 81; Composer and Arranger Worked With Perry Como|work=Los Angeles Times|date=15 August 2005|access-date=30 March 2011}} Perito wrote the music for the 1968 film, Don't Just Stand There! with Robert Wagner and Mary Tyler Moore.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062901/|title=Don't Just Stand There|year=1968|publisher=IMDB|access-date=30 March 2011}} In the same year, Perito played the accordion on the only solo vocal album of his friend and associate, Ray Charles, Memories of a Middle-Aged Movie Fan.{{cite book|title=Memories of a Middle-Aged Movie Fan|publisher=Atco Records|year=1968|oclc = 12119618}} Perito was also an influential arranger of background music for Muzak in the late 1960s and early 70s.{{cite book|last=Lanza|first=Joseph|title=Elevator music: a surreal history of Muzak, easy-listening, and other moodsong|year=2004|publisher=University of Michigan Press|isbn=978-0-472-08942-0|page=230|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xqGO5gjUWGoC&pg=PA230}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LAkEAAAAMBAJ&q=nick+perito&pg=PA90|title=Inside Track|date=10 November 1973|publisher=Billboard|access-date=12 April 2011}}

He became the musical director for Bob Hope in 1993, and worked with Hope's wife, Dolores, when she decided to pick up her singing career after 60 years.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F7oyAAAAIBAJ&pg=6474,3841408&dq=nick+perito&hl=en|title=Dolores Hope renews singing career with 3rd album|author=Thomas, Bob|date=8 June 1997|publisher=Lawrence Journal-World|access-date=30 March 2011}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6QkEAAAAMBAJ&q=nick+perito&pg=RA1-PA56|title=Drive Shifts To High Gear To Reach Military, Over-50 Crowd With Dolores Hope Album|author=DiCostanzo, Frank|date=15 November 1997|publisher=Billboard|access-date=12 April 2011}} Perito played accordion for actor Paul Sorvino's PBS musical special in 1996.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Nf9TAAAAIBAJ&pg=4137,2506594&dq=nick+perito&hl=en|title=Actor Paul Sorvino Loves to Sing|author=Sheffield, Skip|date=26 July 1996|publisher=The News|access-date=30 March 2011}} Perito, along with musicians Dick Grove and Allyn Ferguson, was a founder and partner in the Grove School of Music in Van Nuys, California. The school was accredited in 1979 but could no longer afford to keep its doors open by 1991.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-15-ca-254-story.html|title=Music School Turns Ear Toward Teamwork, Professionalism|author=Stewart, Zan|date=15 March 1991|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=2 June 2011}} "The students at the school, where Grove, composer Allyn Ferguson and conductor Nick Perito are the operating owner-partners, are exposed to all styles of popular music."{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-06-me-677-story.html|title=The Grove School May Close : Van Nuys: The music institute needs to raise at least $300,000. An agreement to sell it to a Florida academy falls through|author=Arkush, Michael|date=6 August 1991|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=2 June 2011}}

His work earned Perito a dozen Emmy nominations.{{cite book|title=I Just Happened To Be There: Making Music With The Stars|editor-last=Perito|editor-first=Nick|year=2004|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|page=336|isbn=1-4134-5373-2}}{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=January 2018}} a year before his death of pulmonary fibrosis in Hollywood.

;As composer:{{AllMusic |class=artist |id=p113573 |tab=songs |label=Nick Perito: Songs |access-date=2011-03-30 }}

• Stay with Me, 1950s
• We Are Love, 1950s
• The Green Leaves of Summer (with others)
• Anema E Core (with others)
• Misirlou/Quien Sera (with others)
• Oh Calcutta
• Mountains of Kisses
• Pianola Pete

;As conductor, arranger, director or producer:

• Many.See {{AllMusic |class=artist |id=p113573 |tab=credits |label=Nick Perito: Credits |access-date=2011-03-30 }}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100513194146/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/amrc/collection/comoGuide.htm Perry Como Collection 1955–1994-University of Colorado at Boulder Archives] created by Perry Como, Mickey Glass, and Nick Perito
• [http://www.asmac.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=39902&PG=Album&LID=5780 Nick Perito Luncheon] January 2005, American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers
• [http://www.lapianist.com/perito.htm A Tribute to Nick Perito] September 22, 2005, John Sawoski
• [http://bjbear71.com/Perito/Main.html Appreciating Nick Perito]
• [http://www.percyfaithpages.org/ Nick Perito Conducting Videos] Percy Faith arrangements for JVC. Capitol Records, Los Angeles, 1994

{{Perry Como}}

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Category:American male composers

Category:2005 deaths

Category:1924 births

Category:Juilliard School alumni

Category:Musicians from Denver

Category:American music arrangers

Category:Songwriters from Colorado

Category:University of Denver alumni

Category:Writers from California

Category:Writers from Denver

Category:American male conductors (music)

Category:Orchestra leaders

Category:Deaths from pulmonary fibrosis

Category:20th-century American composers

Category:20th-century American conductors (music)

Category:20th-century American male musicians

Category:American male songwriters

Category:20th-century American songwriters