Frankie Laine was a singer and songwriter born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio on March 30, 1913, in Chicago, Illinois. Known primarily as one of the most popular vocalists of the late 1940s and 1950s, Laine also contributed to the American songbook as a composer. His most enduring original composition is "We'll Be Together Again," co-written with arranger Carl Fischer, which became a widely recorded jazz and pop standard. "It Only Happens Once" is among the songs associated with his creative output during this period. Laine's performing career spanned seventy-five years and produced hits across pop, jazz, gospel, and western genres, earning him the nickname "Mr. Rhythm." His recording career was launched after a chance encounter with Hoagy Carmichael led to a contract with Mercury Records. Laine died on February 6, 2007, in San Diego, California.
