The group was formed in late 1950s by Mike Barnett, Dick Stewart and Tony Butala. They auditioned for Jackie Barnett, chief comedy writer for the Jimmy Durante TV show. They landed the part to impersonate The Rhythm Boys, the vocal group that traveled with Paul Whiteman and his orchestra in the late 1920s, and gave Bing Crosby his initial fame. The "Newcomers of 1928" review opened on 28 February 1958 at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, Nevada. This review also starred Paul Whiteman, Buster Keaton, Rudy Vallée, Harry Richmond and Fifi D'Orsay. They played to sell-out audiences and were held over for many weeks. This review also played a six week review at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, with Butala being the only consistent Letterman. Barnett and Russell were replaced by Gary Clarke and Jerry Paul. When the review ended, Butala landed a job as singer/bass player in a lounge group, "Bill Norvas and the Upstarts", with Gary Clarke. After a few months, Clarke left the group and was replaced by Jim Pike. Pike and Butala decided to leave the Upstarts and resume the Lettermen although they had not yet decided to use the Lettermen name. Pike envisioned a group where each member was an excellent soloist as well as a competent group singer. Pike recommended the third Letterman should be Bob Engemann, a singer that Pike had met when he attended Brigham Young University a few years earlier. Both had come to Los Angeles, California, and sang together in different combinations until Engemann had go into the National Guard for 6 months. At that point, Pike joined Bill Norvis and met Butala. This combination first recorded in late 1959.
They secured a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records through Bob Engemann's older brother, Karl Engemann, who was a record producer there, and for whom Pike had released a record earlier called "Lucy D", which was not successful. Pike, Butala and Engemann as "The Lettermen" released two singles in 1960. The A-sides were "Two Hearts" and "There Hearts Were Full Of Spring". They were not successful. Karl Engemann moved on to Capitol Records as President of A&R. He got them out of their contract at Warner Bros., and made an appointment with Nick Venet, a producer at Capitol and they were signed.
There was another "Lettermen" group in the late 1950s and early 1960s that recorded for Liberty Records, (which was a major label at the time). They were an R&B group with five members, and their single was called "Hey Big Brain". But the "Lettermen" of Pike, Engemann and Butala had the first hit record, so they were entitled to exclusively use the "Lettermen" name. There was also a group in the mid 1950s called The Lettermen Trio, but had no record success.
The Lettermen were unknown until they signed with Capitol Records in 1961. Their first single for Capitol, "The Way You Look Tonight," succeeded on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, and their next, "When I Fall in Love," reached the Top 10 in late 1962. They had several other Top 10 hits, such as the 1965's, "Theme From A Summer Place". In late 1967 Bob Engemann resigned, and was replaced by Jim Pike's younger brother, Gary Pike. The hits continued with the 1968 medley "Goin' Out of My Head"/"Can't Take My Eyes Off You", and in 1968 with "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", plus 1969's "Hurt So Bad", which reached number 12. The last successful single was in 1972, "Love" a solo by Pike.
The Lettermen have had 32 consecutive Billboard Magazine chart albums, 11 gold records, five Grammy nominations, an Andy Award, and a Cleo Award. In 1976, Jim Pike left the group and sold the Lettermen name to Butala.
In 1981 Gary Pike left the Lettermen, and today Jim and Gary Pike, along with Ric de Azevedo, sing The Lettermen hits, billed as Reunion.
In 1961, The Lettermen started performing live concerts doing over 100 shows a year, an unbroken string that continues to the present now amounting to 46 years.
Over the decades, the group has had various line-ups, replacing members who left for various reasons with new people to maintain a trio. Tony Butala, who (as of 2007) is still a member, has stated that the group ethos is that of three strong soloists that harmonize, and that the group encourages individual singing and songwriting.
They pride themselves in welcoming audience member photographs during the show, unlike many recording acts.
Theme From 'A Summer Place'
The Lettermen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where it may rain or storm
Yet, I'm safe and warm
For, within that Summer place
Your arms reach out to me
And my heart is free
From all care
For it knows
There are no gloomy skies
When seen through the eyes
Of those who are blessed with love
And the sweet secret of
A Summer place
Is that it's anywhere
When two people share
All their hopes
All their dreams
All their love
There's a Summer place
Where it may rain or storm
Yet, I'm safe and warm
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
The Lettermen's song Theme from "A Summer Place" is a timeless classic that captures the essence of a summer romance. It paints a picture of a magical place where two people can escape from the world's troubles and find solace in each other's arms. It doesn't matter if the weather is bad or if the skies are gloomy because the love between the two people makes everything brighter. The song celebrates the idea that love can conquer all and create a safe, warm place where the cares of the world cannot find you.
The lyrics of the song explore the idea of a Summer place that exists within each of us when we are with someone we love. It's a place where all worries and troubles melt away, and we are enveloped in the warmth of our partner's embrace. The beauty of this place is that it can exist anywhere, as long as two people are willing to share their hopes, dreams, and love. The lyrics also touch on the transformative power of love, which has the ability to make even the darkest skies seem bright and filled with hope.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a Summer place
There is a place that evokes the atmosphere of summer
Where it may rain or storm
Despite the possibility of bad weather, the place remains special
Yet, I'm safe and warm
Despite external factors, the singer feels comforted and protected
For, within that Summer place
Because of the environment, the following occurs
Your arms reach out to me
The artist has someone to hold them close
And my heart is free
The singer feels unencumbered and content
From all care
All burdens and worries have disappeared
For it knows
The artist's heart understands that
There are no gloomy skies
There are no negative or bleak situations
When seen through the eyes
When viewed from the perspective of those
Of those who are blessed with love
Who have the privilege of experiencing love
And the sweet secret of A Summer place
The delightful aspect of this Summer place is
Is that it's anywhere
This special place has no fixed location
When two people share
It becomes a unique summer place when two people
All their hopes
Combine their aspirations
All their dreams
Unite their desires
All their love
Share their affection
In your arms
Where the singer feels protected and loved
In your arms
In the embrace of their beloved
In your arms
Finding comfort and solace from the world
In your arms
Feeling secure and safe
In your arms
Being content and fulfilled
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1965 {August 1st} a vocal version of "Theme from 'A Summer Place'" by The Lettermen peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, for the week it was a #2, the #1 record for that week was "Save Your Heart For Me" by Gary Lewis and The Playboys...
"Theme from 'A Summer Place'" peaked at #16 {for 1 week} on the Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1961 and 1975 the Las Vegas, Nevada trio had twenty-eight records on the Easy Listening chart, sixteen made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "When I Fall In Love", for one week in December of 1961...
Tony Butala, the only original surviving member of the trio, will celebrate his 81st birthday in three months on November 20th, 2021...
Bob Engemann died on January 20, 2013, at the age of 77, and Jim Pike passed on June 9, 2019, at 82...
May they both R.I.P.
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Easy Listening Top 10 on August 1st, 1965:
At #3. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" by Mel Carter
#4. "Too Many Rivers" by Brenda Lee
#5. "Marie" by The Bachelors
#6. "(Such An) Easy Question" by Elvis Presley
#7. "You'd Better Come Home" by Petula Clark
#8. "A Little Bit of Heaven" by Ronnie Dove
#9. "One Dyin' and A Buryin': by Roger Miller
#10. "Trains and Boats and Planes" by Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas
Joe Fackler
Best music EVER from the 50's and some of the 60's!!! Love this song. Brings back many fond memories. Isn't that interesting how music can do that to us.
j z
Notice how short many singles were back then. This was only 2 minutes long or should I say short but yet if you close your eyes while listening it brings you back to a love that once seemed to be eternal. Sweat memories!
Norman Schenburn
I remember this version from when I was a kid!👍 It's my favorite version of the song!
Gary Morris
Great voices, beautiful harmony. It seems as though no one sings like this anymore.
j z
That's because no one does.
Gary Morris
@j z Yes. This is what I saying. You and I are in agreement.
Vanda Nogueira
Essa música ficará para sempre em nossas lembranças e nos nossos corações. Vanda & Hélio.
Michael Allport
Claro que sim!
Joseph Harris
There's absolutely no one else who can do justice to this song except the lettermen.📻📻📻
Michael Allport
Tears of appreciation and deep contentment for having grown up in this era.