Tony Sandler
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Tony Sandler | |
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Sandler with Ralph Young, 1970. | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Lucien Joseph Santelé |
Also known as | The Continental Compliment Sandler and Young |
Born | Lauwe, Belgium | 18 August 1933
Genres | Easy Listening, Jazz, Swing, Pop |
Occupation(s) | Singer, Actor, Producer |
Labels | Capitol, Balladin Productions, INC., Immure Records |
Website | Tonysandler.com, ImmureRecords.com |
Tony Sandler (born Lucien Joseph Santelé, 18 August 1933 in Lauwe, part of the city of Menen in Belgium) is a singer, entertainer and performer. He is also well known as the Continental half of the Capitol recording singing team Sandler and Young singing duo popular in the 1960s and 1970s and mid 1980s.[1]
Europe 1954–1963
Tony Sandler began performing as a boy with the French Gregorian choir "Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Boix", who performed for Pope Pius XII.
In 1954, he recorded his first hit "Song of the Sea" while serving with the Belgian Air Force during the Korean War. He attracted international audiences in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Britain, and became a stage and television star with dozens of hit records. He also starred in four German/Italian films as well as musical productions.
Tony Sandler then starred and headlined with singing engagements at the 'Roof Garden' of the renowned Café Roma in Alassio on the Italian Riviera leading him to his U.S. debut.
On 29 November 1963 Tony Sandler joined the cast of the "Casino de Paris" revue at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas. In this extravaganza Tony Sandler performed side by side with French star Line Renaud and also one American entertainer Ralph Young.
Sandler & Young (1963–1987)
Tony Sandler and Ralph Young stayed for two seasons committed to the Casino de Paris show. In 1965 Tony Sandler and Ralph Young decided to start a solo act and perform together as a singing team and that was the beginning of a very successful story of Sandler and Young.
The "hit duo" 'Sandler & Young' performed for two decades as headliners in the main showrooms of the major Las Vegas Hotels and Casinos and all over the country. Guest spots on many national TV shows and millions of records sold, making them one of the most popular acts in show business.
In the mid eighties, Ralph Young wanted to retire from the act to spend more time with his family in Palm Springs and Los Angeles. Tony Sandler, two decades younger, continued to perform and produce. Tony Sandler is now still active, singing American and European repertory.
On special occasions, Sandler and Young reteamed to perform to sellout crowds.
Their last appearance together was at the 2003 All Stars benefit show Let Freedom Ring in Palm Springs to honor the victims of 9/11.
Ralph Young died at his Palm Springs home on 22 August 2008 at the age of 90.
Several 'Sandler and Young' Albums have recently been released by Butterfly Label.
Solo 1987 till now
As entertainer and producer Tony brought as a ‘well-known Belgian born’- American, European standards and American Standards in his productions s.a. Best of Broadway, Sandler sings Lerner & Loewe en Sandler sings Jacques Brel, The Thrue Sound of Christmas en For the Night of Christmas.
Since 1987 Sandler produced several albums s.a. The Importance of the Rose, Bells of Paradise, and The True Spirit of Christmas.
In 1985, for the TV network PBS he hosted two 30 minutes shows filmed on location in Flanders: Portrait of Europe: Flanders and For The Night of Christmas from Bruges.
In the nineties Tony toured solo with his One Man Show, 'Chevalier, Maurice & Me' and with the symphony–pop production 'My Paris', musically arranged by Grammy winning Peter Matz. In those productions Tony portrayed the life and work of legendary Maurice Chevalier.
In his project "The Great International Songbook" (2005) Tony Sandler brought his traditional and international repertoire accompanies by big band, quintet and trio In 2005.
Also in 2005 Sandler produced a 3 CD Album called 'Mijn Moederspraak, An Anthology of Flemish Art and Folk Songs' .
This is an artistic selection of 36 classical Flemish Folksongs, arranged in recital style by pianist Gregory Theisen.
With this Anthology Sandler wanted to leave a legacy in his native Dutch language.
Songs are amongst others ‘k En Hore U nog Niet O Nachtegaal, O Kempenland, Lentelust, Ik Zag Cecilia Komen, Het Loze Vissertje Gequetst Ben Ick Van Binnen, Mijn Vlaanderen heb ik Hartelijk Lief, 't Zijn Weiden als Wiegende Zeeën, Daar Zat een Sneeuwwit Vogeltje,...
In 2007 Tony Sandler got the occasion to offer this CD personally to HM King Albert II of Belgium in New York.
In 2008 the CD 'Simply Tony' has been released by Butterfly Label.
In the same year, Tony hosted a television special called "Tony Sandlers Holiday Greetings" with the Viking Choir, which was broadcast on PBS.
In 2012, now 50 years in the US, Balladin Productions released a series of remastered CD’s called ‘Ton Sandler Legacy Series. The first three albums are Hits van de jaren 50 - Flemish Hits 1950's, Deutsche Schlagerparade - Parade of German Hits 1954-1963 en Symphony of Love.
References
- ^ Campbell, Mary (19 February 1967). "Sandler and Young team rapidly entering big time". The Palm Beach Post. p. F10. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
"Tony Sandler: A holiday warmup performer brings 'true spirit of Christmas' to the Fritz". Grand Forks Herald. 20 November 1992. p. 4C. Retrieved 29 September 2010.