Dick Contino

Richard Joseph "Dick" Contino, born on January 17, 1930, in Fresno, California, was an American accordionist and singer. He began studying the accordion at a young age. Contino's breakthrough came in December 1947 when he won first place in the Horace Heidt/Philip Morris talent contest, performing "Lady of Spain." In 1949, his self-titled debut album Dick Contino reached number 3 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. His notable singles include "Yours" (1954) and "Pledge My Love" (1957). Contino's career was interrupted by his military service during the Korean War. He died on April 19, 2017, in Fresno, California.