Julius La Rosa

about

Julius La Rosa (January 2, 1930 - May 12, 2016) was an Italian-American traditional popular music singer, who worked in both radio and television beginning in the 1950s. La Rosa was born in Brooklyn, New York. In 1947, at age 17, he joined the United States Navy after finishing high school, becoming a radioman. He sang in a Navy choir, at the officers club, and at bars to pay for his drinks. The young sailor's Navy buddies managed to promote him to Arthur Godfrey - at the time one of America's leading radio and television personalities, and himself a Naval Reserve officer, whom the Navy often accommodated as a nod to the good publicity he gave the service. The Navy buddy most instrumental in this was George "Bud" Andrews, from Omaha, Nebraska, the seaman mechanic on Godfrey's airplane. While working on Godfrey's plane, Andrews struck up a conversation with Godfrey and told him that he really should hear his buddy sing. They arranged a time for LaRosa to audition in Pensacola, Florida, where LaRosa was stationed. Godfrey was impressed, offering La Rosa a job. Godfrey had LaRosa flown to New York to appear on his television show, with Godfrey ending the spot by saying, "When Julie gets out of the Navy he'll come back to see us." Discharged from the Navy on a Friday, La Rosa went to Godfrey on the following Monday, and a week later, in November 1951, he appeared on Godfrey's variety show. He was a regular on both the morning Arthur Godfrey Time (broadcast on both the CBS radio

top songs

albums

On the Sunny Side

Love Songs a la Rosa/On the Sunny Side

Just Forever

Presenting... Julius La Rosa

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That's Amore: Italian American Favorites

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America's Greatest Hits Volume 4 1953

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Pass It On

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Julia LaRosa's Best

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Eh, Campari

Eh Cumpari

Vintage Vocal Jazz / Swing No. 173 - EP: Torero

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Classic Crooners - Songs by Julius La Rosa

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