Perry Como, born Pierino Ronald Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian American crooner during the latter half of the 20th century. His exclusive recording contract with RCA Victor in 1943 began an association that would last for almost fifty years. He sold around sixty million records in his long career.Como was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, just 20 miles south of Pittsburgh. Although he always liked to sing, his first great ambition was to be the best barber in Canonsburg. After graduation from high school, he opened his own barber's shop. In 1933, he married his teenage sweetheart, Roselle Belline. In 1933 Como joined Freddy Carlone's band in Ohio, and three years later moved up to Ted Weems' Orchestra and his first recording dates. Their first recording was a novelty tune called "You Can't Pull the Wool over My Eyes", recorded for the Decca Records label. In 1942 Weems dissolved his band, and Como went on to CBS, where he sang for a couple of years without any conspicuous success. By this time the erstwhile barber had definitely decided to return to Canonsburg, his family, and his barbering. Just as he was about to abandon his singing career once and for all, two NBC producers stepped in, returning him to show business for the NBC Supper Club. Later he became a very successful performer in theatre and night club engagements. In 1945, Como recorded the pop ballad "'Til the End of Time" (based on Chopin's "Polonaise"), which marked the beginning a highly successful career. Como was the first artist to have ten records sell more than one million copies. Similarly, his television show achieved a much higher rating than that of any other vocalist to date.On March 14, 1958, the RIAA certified Como's hit single, "Catch a Falling Star" as its first ever "Gold Record."By the 1980s, the atmosphere of recording had changed dramatically from his early days at RCA Victor. Como's recording sessions, previously filled with laughter and joy, had deteriorated into much more sombre occasions. For this reason, he walked away from his final studio-produced recordings in the early 1980s. He returned to record a final album with his trusted friend and associate Nick Perito in 1987. His recording of "The Wind Beneath My Wings'" was almost autobiographical, a fitting end to a long and successful recording career. Como would record only once more, in 1994, privately, for his well-known Christmas Concert in Ireland.