Tony Butala, who charted 20 songs (including six top 40 hits) on the Billboard Hot 100 in the early ’60s through early ’70s with vocal group The Lettermen, has died at age 87. He was the last surviving original member of The Lettermen, best known for their breakthrough release, their 1961 recording of “The Way You Look Tonight,” and enduring takes on “When I Fall in Love” (1961), “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (1967) and “Hurt So Bad” (1969).
Butala passed away on Sunday (Nov. 1), a representative for The Lettermen confirmed. A cause of death was not reported.
A statement was issued on Tuesday. It reads, “We have lost an integral member of The Lettermen family. 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. Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with his children, grandchildren, siblings, the love of his life, the entire Lettermen organization and all who knew and loved him.”
“Tony never met a stranger,” the statement continues. “His life was a living example of talent, perseverance, and refinement. But above all, his true joy was entertaining and sharing his music with audiences worldwide.”
Butala was born in 1938 in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and began singing at an early age, with a radio gig for KDKA in nearby Pittsburgh at just seven years old, and — after moving to Los Angeles with his mother — vocal work with the Mitchell Boys Choir in the films White Christmas, Peter Pan, War of the Worlds and On Moonlight Bay by age 10.
He entered his 20s with The Lettermen — Butala with Bob Engemann and Jim Pike — who originated as a trio in 1958.
The Lettermen pose for a promotional photo circa 1961. Front: Bob Engemann; back left: Jim Pike; back right: Tony Butala.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
They had their first hit on the chart in 1961 with their version of “The Way You Look Tonight,” a standard originally performed by Fred Astaire (and penned by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields) for the film Swing Time. Their highest-charting singles were “When I Fall in Love” and the double-sided release of their recordings of “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Among their 20 recordings that became Hot 100 hits were six that made the top 20: “The Way You Look Tonight” (No. 13 in 1961), “When I Fall In Love” (No. 7, peaking in 1962), “Come Back Silly Girl” (No. 17 in 1962), “Theme From A Summer Place” (No. 16 in 1965), “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (No. 7, peaking in 1968) and “Hurt So Bad” (No. 12, in 1969). “Hurt So Bad” holds the act’s personal record for most weeks appearing on the chart, with a total of 21 weeks.
The Lettermen were nominated for four Grammy Awards throughout their career, including best new artist in 1962. They were nominated for best performance by a vocal group for their remake of the Oscar-winning 1936 classic “The Way You Look Tonight” and for their album which contained that hit, A Song For Young Love. They were also nominated in a closely-related category, best contemporary-pop performance, vocal duo or group for their hit medley of two of the most-covered songs of the late 1960s, “Goin’ Out of My Head” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”
In 2020, Butala and The Lettermen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The honor came after the death of his bandmates; Engemann passed in 2013, and Pike died in 2019.
Butala had taken a step back from performing as of 2019. “The Lettermen” continues on with a current lineup of vocalists Donovan Tea, Bobby Poynton and Rob Gulack.
While no public viewing is planned, celebrations of life for Butala will be held in Wisconsin and California at a later date.
