Search - Neal and Leandra :: A Dreamer's Holiday: A Tribute to Perry Como

"I wish I could capture every dubious glance, every incredulous laugh, or even every blank stare that wfe have gotten when we've announced our intention to make a Perry Como tribute CD, and then keep them in some sort of 'scrapbook of the misled.' We have spent 15 years writing and singing our own songs and have tried to ply our craft with integrity and a sense of the enormous power music can wield in a person's life. So perhaps jumping into a project of cover songs by an artist who seems to be mostly remembered for his cardigans appears slightly less than a serious musical endeavor. As far as Perry Como is concerned that is exactly where a person could be misled, so here are a few things about him that should be remembered... Mr. Como had 14 #1 songs, was the first artist to break the million selling mark, had 27 gold records, sold over 100 million records, and hosted one of the most successful TV shows of all time (the third longest running show in TV history). Rosemary Clooney said, 'He sang perfectly in tune, had great timing and chose good material. Mr. Sinatra could be kind of crazy. Bing was kind of stand-offish. Perry was always there and always good.' It doesn't matter what he wore, Perry Como represents the kind of artist we aspire to be - a hard worker singing great songs and entertaining people without gimmicks or artifice. He had an astoundingly beautiful voice, a wealth of good material and a respect for his audience. Dubbed 'Mr. Casual' and at times parodied for his laid-back style, he found that it always worked best to be himself. 'They were always telling me to use my hands, my body... But that was never me. I just breathe, and sometimes it doesn't look as if I'm doing that!' he laughingly recalled during an interview in 1990. People who know me will recognize some of that spirit of 'relaxation.' Plus he sounded just like my dad. How could I help but love him? So this is really a 'roots' album. And if that causes some raised eyebrows, so be it. It'll just give me a good laugh when I page through 'my scrapbook.'" - Leandra "I will be honest. This Perry Como tribute was never on any wish list of projects I felt compelled to finish in my lifetime. I went along with Leandra as a spectator at first. A willing, but bemused, spectator. As it turns out, I didn't know what I was talking about. At every turn, as we were researching this project and picking songs, I fell in love with the music and the man who made it. The only excuse I had not to like him was that I had never really listened to his songs before. Then, I started listening, and this is what I discovered. Perry Como's voice doesn't beat you over the head or force you to submit to its will, but stands as an invitation. A confident, God-given instrument that doesn't have to resort to tricks. It is remarkable in its simplicity and its beauty. Both of these, I think, are qualities of great art that are under appreciated in our current age of overproduction and vocal histrionics. Mr. Como let a song sing itself and got his ego out of the way so his voice could work its magic. I am a huge fan now, late on the bandwagon, but banging my drum as loudly as I can so people will not only, perhaps, enjoy this album, but like the music enough to go out and buy everything of Mr. Como's they can get their hands on. It would be a worthwhile expenditure. A few more explanatory notes - one, when I first met Leandra and was at her parents' house for dinner, I encountered a family who loved singing for the sake of just singing. Doing the dishes became a three part harmony Perryfest or barbershop extravaganza. I could see why Leandra was already singing harmony by age four. They loved making music. That is why when we found that Mr. Como had covered 'Let a Smile be Your Umbrella,' I wanted to put it on the CD, even though it was a minor tune for him and never charted. It was one of the first songs I heard Lean