Tony Butala, co-founder of The Lettermen behind 'The Way You Look Tonight', dies at 87
Tony Butala, a co-founder of The Lettermen, died on Sunday, November 1, at the age of 87. Tracy Clark, the band's media coordinator, confirmed his death to The Associated Press.
A statement from the band said it announced with profound sadness the passing of Tony Butala, a founding member of the international recording artists The Lettermen and a recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It offered thoughts and prayers to his children, grandchildren, siblings and the entire Lettermen organization.
A cause of death was not disclosed, and there will be no public viewing. Details about celebrations of life in both Wisconsin and California will be announced at a later date, the statement said.
Butala co-founded The Lettermen in the late 1950s with Jim Pike and Bob Engemann. The group's first hit came in 1961 with its rendition of Fred Astaire's 'The Way You Look Tonight', which earned the trio a Grammy nomination.
The band recorded 20 hits that reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earned four Grammy Award nominations. Its well-known songs include 'Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes off You', 'Everything Is Good About You', 'Come Back Silly Girl', 'Theme from a Summer Place' and 'Hurt So Bad'.
Butala remained a member of the group for more than 60 years and retired from performing in 2019. Pike died the same year at the age of 82 from complications related to Parkinson's disease, while Engemann had died in 2013.
A year after retiring, Butala attended the ceremony honouring the band with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The group has continued with new members since his retirement; the current lineup includes Donovan Tea, Bobby Poynton and Rob Gulack.
Butala began his professional singing career as a child, performing on KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh at the age of eight and moving to Los Angeles with his mother at the age of ten. There he joined the Mitchell Boys Choir, which appeared in films including 'White Christmas', 'Peter Pan', 'War of the Worlds' and 'On Moonlight Bay'.
