This Christmas, as every Christmas morning since 1996, shortly after sunrise I shall take the drive down Santa Monica Blvd. to Wilshire Blvd. and pull in behind the movie theatre where the cemetery is hidden. Bottle of J&B in hand, I'll walk over to the crypt where Dean rests and loving place the bottle on the floor in front of it. I'll pause for a few moments and if any other of his fans happen to be there I'll chat with them. In recent years there has been no one around to chat with, so I just say a few words to Dean and go on my way.

It was as a youngster on Thursday nights at 10PM on NBC that Dean introduced me to the likes of Bing, Frank, Sammy, Ella, and all the music greats I have cherished all of my life. It all goes back to Dean. It started with him and I have been forever grateful.

I miss him.

johnwalton wrote:

However, Dean Martin, for all his success, is probably underrated as a vocalist.  In my view he was the only singer who could match Bing's timing on a laid-back up-tempo number.  His version of 'In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening' is a brilliant example of 'the art that conceals.....' (see bottom of posting).

John, I'm with you one hundred percent and then more. Dean is grossly under-rated. In part he contributed to this by allowing himself to play second fiddle to Frank Sinatra, and more, by working too hard at self parody.  Whilst he transcended his comedy roots with Jerry Lewis, he never quite threw them off entirely and was always prepared to relapse into self-mockery. 

But as a singer he had a natural relaxed manner and an innate sense of timing and phrasing.  He was out of the mould created by Bing, but was his own man and not a self conscious imitator.