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Peter Lemongello (born February 11, 1947) is an American singer known for his double album Love '76, the first album to be sold exclusively through television advertising. He has had many impressive credits appearing at the legendary Copacabana in New York City and many appearances on national TV (including 25 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson).

Early career

Lemongello spent the first part of his career as a cabaret singer, with several appearances on national TV, including 25 on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He released his first two records (under the name Pete Lemongello) on the Rare Bird record label to no fanfare. In 1973, after appearing at the Copacabana with Don Rickles, he signed with Epic Records. He released one single in December 1973; which failed to chart. By 1976, after not being pushed and looking to seek other opportunities, he asked for a release from the label.

Love '76

Frustrated by his lack of record sales, Lemongello hit upon the idea of creating an album to be sold exclusively on TV. Using a city-by-city marketing strategy, he and his partners began their Love '76 advertising campaign with an around-the-dial TV blitz in the New York market starting January 1, 1976, and ran commercials on all six New York channels 70 to 100 times a week. Sales of the double album skyrocketed him to fame in the New York area, and the campaign entered Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

In a profile in The New York Times, he stated, "Look what this country needs is a white, male superstar they can hang their hat on. They want him clean, and they want him now. That's why I'm playing it this way. I can be what they want." An acquaintance and fan named Bob Pascuzzi bankrolled a promotional roll-out meant to generate interest from financial backers that would result in a deal for an album and concerts. Westbury Music Fair was rented for one show, and an album assembled with one side recorded in the studio, the other consisting of remixes of his tapes. One concert promoter conceded the show had sold 2,500 tickets but wondered whether Lemongello could repeat his success in cities with fewer Italians and where he had not advertised as heavily.

By the end of his television campaign, Lemongello had sold a staggering 1.8 million copies of "Love 76".

Private Stock Records signed Lemongello in April 1976. By choice, Lemongello ended his self-promotional efforts and released his second album, Do I Love You, in late 1976. Shorty afterwards the label closed its doors and the album and its subsequent singles failed to chart.

Later career

He has performed at many South Florida venues, in dinner theater in Branson, Missouri, and appeared regularly in the summer in Atlantic City, on Long Island, and in upstate New York. In 2012 he had a one-man song and comedy show titled Meatballs, Matzo Balls and Lemon-Gello, and also re-recorded his 1976 song "Can't Get Enough Of You Girl" with producer and songwriter Jimmy Michaels; it appears on the re-issue of the Michaels album More Things Change.

Parodies

Lemongello was spoofed in the episode of Saturday Night Live that aired May 22, 1976, with Chevy Chase playing a singer named Peter Lemon Mood Ring, who changed colors with every song. Chase reprised the parody in his 1989 film Fletch Lives.

Singer-songwriter Will Dailey released a promotional video in 2009 for his album Torrent, in which he is forced by his managers to make a (fictitious) commercial for Torrent in the style of the Love '76 commercial.

Personal life

Lemongello lives in Boca Raton, Florida. He and his wife Karen have a son, Peter Jr., who in 2019 appeared on American Idol.

Discography

• Love '76 (1976), Rapp Records
• Do I Love You (1976), Private Stock Records

References

1. ^ Crandell, Ben (June 4, 2012). "Peter Lemongello, 35 years after his 15 minutes of fame". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
2. "Peter Lemongello Discography - USA - 45cat". www.45cat.com.
3. "The $390,000 Man". Time. May 31, 1976. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved May 10, 2007.
4. ^ Kornheiser, Tony (June 20, 1976). "He Did It His Way". The New York Times.
5. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-mtblog-2012-06-peter_lemongello_35_years_afte-story.html
6. https://www.peterlemongello.com/bio
7. "Private Stock Album Discography". www.bsnpubs.com.
8. Streeter, Leslie Gray (November 21, 2014) . "The spirit of 'Love 76'". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
9. "SNL Transcripts: Buck Henry: 05/22/76: Peter Lemon Moodring". snltranscripts.jt.org.
10. Will Dailey Love '76 parody on YouTube
11. "Boca Raton Resident Appears on 'American Idol'". WIRK. Retrieved April 11, 2019.

• American male pop singers
• American businesspeople
• Direct marketing
• 1947 births
• Living people
• Musicians from Jersey City, New Jersey
• People from North Babylon, New York
• Private Stock Records artists