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We have tragic news to report from the world of music.
Tony Butala, founding member and longtime lead singer of the iconic vocal group The Lettermen, has died. He was 87.
The group announced Butala’s passing in a heartfelt statement shared on Facebook, paying tribute to the musician who helped build one of the most enduring vocal acts in American pop music.
“We have lost an integral member of The Lettermen family,” the announcement read. “It is with profound sadness that we announce the recent passing of Tony Butala, founding member of the international recording artists ‘The Lettermen,’ and recipient of a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”
The group also extended its condolences to Butala’s children, grandchildren, siblings, loved ones, fellow performers, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
According to the statement, Butala started singing in his hometown of Sharon, Pennsylvania, when he was just 7 years old. By the following year, he was already performing on KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh.
He eventually moved with his family to Hollywood, where he continued pursuing his musical ambitions.
By the late 1950s, he had helped establish The Lettermen, a group that would go on to become internationally recognized for its distinctive three-part vocal harmonies.
Butala served as the group’s lead singer from 1958 until 2019, when he stepped away from performing.
Under his leadership, The Lettermen earned four Grammy nominations, building a devoted international audience along the way.
“Under his guidance, The Lettermen’s unique 3-part ‘sound’ captivated audiences worldwide,” the group recalled.
The statement also credited Butala with recognizing that the group’s signature harmonies could work with contemporary music, allowing its catalog to evolve while maintaining the sound that made the performers famous.
Butala was the last surviving founding member of The Lettermen. In 2020, he and the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, marking another milestone in an extraordinary career.
Although he stopped performing publicly in 2019, Butala remained invested in ensuring the group’s future. According to the announcement, he helped establish the foundation for The Lettermen to continue performing under new leadership.
And that’s exactly what has happened. The group is still performing today, more than 65 years after its formation.
“Tony never met a stranger,” the statement continued, describing him as someone whose life reflected talent, perseverance, and a genuine love of entertaining others.
The group also recalled his final public solo performance, which featured the classic song “Smile.”
“His spirit will live on with every Lettermen performance,” the statement promised.
It concluded with a simple but touching message: “Thank you for all the smiles, Tony.”
Butala’s voice may no longer be heard onstage, but the musical legacy he helped create isn’t going anywhere.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thehollywoodgossip.com
