Here's the "Holidays" vocal that my dad, DICK ROMAN, sang for Michelob Anheuser-Busch in the 1970s (NO, it's NOT Vic Damone). He also sang the longer "Weekends" version (chorus AND verse) and the shortened "Gourmet" version. Thanks for watching and please comment! :-) Here is a truncated version of his last bio, completed shortly before his death: That Dick Roman was destined to become a singer was decided almost at birth. He came from a typical Italian home that was constantly filled with music. His mother, Angela, had a beautiful soprano voice and his father, Anthony, was always tinkering with musical instruments, ranging from the ukulele to the harmonica. If Dick had decided on an operatic career, he could very well have used his real name, Richard Sebastian DiGiacomo, but his great love for popular music and his desire to bring a bit of the great operatic technique to the "Hit Parade" was an over-riding factor in his decision to become Dick Roman. Almost from the time he could talk, he sang, and when he sang, he made not only his parents happy, but also brought joy to the neighbors, who eagerly awaited his nightly vocalizing. He became a popular young man with his friends and their parents, who constantly made requests for Dick's vocal talents at weddings, bar mitzvahs, baseball games, block parties and and endless stream of local functions. Brooklyn, New York was his home and if one thing ever came close to depriving the world of hearing a beautiful voice, it was Dick's love for baseball. When Dick was very young, he told his parents that his great ambition was to sing, but just to sing was not enough. He wanted to be the best- and singing lessons were expensive. The few spare dollars that were left after the week's bill were not enough to pay for these lessons, so Dick's father took a second job in order to help him fulfill his dreams. Rejection is hard enough for adults, but to a little child it can be tremendously cruel. Dick withstood these disappointments and managaged to land the part of a lame boy, in the dramatic production of "I Remember Mama". One of Dick's co-actors was also making his first appearance on Broadway. Dick remembers Marlon Brando as being moody but friendly "big brother" type. Dick's first break-throught came when he won the $5,000 first prize on The Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts Show. He soon became one of Godfrey's favorites and made many appearances on his daily show. The song he won with became a million-seller, and one of the most popular records of all time- "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing". Record-breaking appearances at the old Roxy Theatre, Radio City Music Hall and the Steel Pier in Atlantic City followed. Dick filled his time with an incredible schedule: the Palladium in London, his own TV series in Australia, numerous trips to South America and a daily series with Liberace on ABC for 36 weeks. He sang on the biggest variety shows, including Ed Sullivan, Jack Paar, Judy Garland, and later on Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, et al. The frustrations of the record business failed to faze Dick and he financed and produced "A Theme From A Summer Place", which became a million-seller in spite of the "Hard Rock" sound so popular at the time. He followed this recording with the original version of "Days Of Wine and Roses", and numerous successful albums that were not only popular with the general public, but with practically all of Dick's contemporaries. While Dick was appearing in Puerto Rico, he got a hurry-call from the Jackie Gleason office to appear in a concert with Gleason in the Miami Beach Auditorium. He had only a few days to learn six of Jackie's compositions, but when his inspired performance received a standing ovation from the audience of 5000 people, Gleason signed him as a regular member of his TV cast. Dick appeared with Gleason for 2 years. These appearances made Dick one of the country's most popular young singers and offers for his services came from all the TV networks. Dick co-hosted shows like the "Junior Miss" special on NBC with people like Hugh O'Brian and Mike Douglas and took off on a whirlwind tour of the world's most important entertainment showcases. Dick has become a popular figure in the Las Vegas and Reno areas where he now owns a home and spends most of his working time. His appearances at the Sands Hotel, The Desert Inn and Harold's Club in Reno, can only be described as "super". When Dick is not puttering around the house or enjoying his spare time with his wife, Honey (who was Jackie Gleason's executive secretary) and his baby girl, Miel, he's writing songs, collection first editions and spending hours in his darkroom, developing the photos he's always snapping.
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Michelob Beer Commercial 'Holidays' - John Forsythe 1979 - Featuring DICK ROMAN vocals
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