Biography
Giovanni Alfredo de Simone, 14 November 1920, Detroit, Michigan, USA, d. 6 September 1985, Los Angeles, California, USA. Shortly before he took off on his fatal final flight, Glenn Miller told Desmond: ‘I have great plans for you when this war is over. You’re going to be a great success’. Then Miller disappeared forever - but his prophecy was fulfilled. A performer on local radio during his childhood days, Desmond’s voice changed from tenor to baritone when he was 15 years old. He temporarily gave up his showbusiness career and settled for the security of a job in his father’s grocery store. After attending Detroit Conservatory of Music, he began appearing at local clubs both singing and playing piano before forming the Downbeats, a vocal group who were signed by Bob Crosby in 1940 and appeared with the Crosby band as the Bob-O-Links. In common with many other Crosby vocalists they stayed only a short time with the...
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