Welcome to Lanza Legend

Hosts Bob and Marlene

We are deeply honored to have Mr. Anthony Kearns as Honorary President of the Lanza Legend.

Damon Lanza, son of the great tenor Mario Lanza, was his father's greatest ambassador.

Renowned as Ireland’s finest tenor, Mr. Kearns is best known as the founding member of the Irish Tenors and continues to tour with them yearly. Inspired by Mario Lanza, as many other great tenors have been, Mr. Kearns also has a successful solo career. Our humble thanks for his support in keeping the voice and memory of Mario Lanza alive, as well as his support in making our Lanza Legend newsletter and this Official Mario Lanza web site the very best possible.

READ HONORARY PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Anthony—like Mario, you know that singing must come from the heart. You understand why he said, “I sing each word as though it were my last on earth.” Like him, you are a showman, with a talent to amuse as well as inspire. Like so many, you were inspired by him. As he did, so too do you bring joy to the lives of millions. Your “Danny Boy” and “Wild Irish Rose” touch the soul as his did. In Mario’s case, of course, his “wild Irish rose” was none other than his beloved wife, Betty. Were their son Damon still with us he would have been, as Lanza Legend’s co-founder, overjoyed at your acceptance of this position, as are we who remain to keep the flame of love burning for Mario Lanza.

Gaudeamus!

The Lanza Legend Team.

“Without a song the day would never end,

Without a song the road would never bend

When things go wrong a man ain’t got a friend,

Without a song!”

Co-founder of the Lanza Legend newsletter and official Mario Lanza web site, Damon worked tirelessly along side his best friend Bob Dolfi, to keep the voice and memory of his father alive. Damon believed that this site would help connect his father’s international fan base, allowing them to share their fondest memories and stories about his father while educating those new to the Lanza world. He also traveled the world to visit his father’s fan clubs and anyone who met him, never forgot him.

A kind and gentle-giant, Damon had an infectious smile and no one will ever forget him. Sadly, he passed away on August 16, 2008 of a heart attack at the tender age of 55. Lanza fans all over the world, and at home, were shocked at the news and we all still grieve for this wonderful man.

Bob, Marlene D’Attanasio and Lindsay Perigo will strive to continue to keep the voice and memory of Mario Lanza alive, as well as our dear friend Damon Lanza.

“We miss you, buddy.”

See Bob's Message below.

A Message From Bob Dolfi

There is not enough space here to write about the many accomplishments that Mario Lanza enjoyed. In his brief 11-year span on the Stage, Television and Radio, he accomplished more than any other singer did in the same time period. Mario Lanza was born in 1921 and died in 1959 of a third heart attack at the tragically young age of 38 in Rome, Italy, where he was living happily with his wife Betty and his 4 children; Colleen, Elissa, Damon and Marc. Mario has been described as temperamental, loving, abusive, caring, charismatic, wonderful and sexy. Maybe he was all the above or some of the above but one thing is certain, he sure could sing. I personally think of Mario as maybe a lovable rogue who was brought down by some of those who were closest to him.

Today, over 40 years later, there are fan clubs all over the world. There is a Mario Lanza Museum in his hometown of South Philadelphia, Pa. There are 'Get-togethers' every year for the fans, a Mario Lanza Institute where they give scholarships to winners of the Mario Lanza Auditions and a Mario Lanza Annual Ball that attracts hundreds of fans from all over the world to Philadelphia. There have been more tributes and honors given to Mario Lanza than to any other singer today. 'Mario set the standards for all to follow!'

More books have been written about Mario than any other singer. A movie about his life is being discussed. Broadway shows and concerts are in the making. And E! Entertainment television has completed a documentary on Mario that went to over 120 million homes and 14 countries, 11 times to date! Many rumors surrounded Mario's early death, including the ridiculous Mafia theory, but it has since been proven that Mario died of a fatal heart attack, the third and final one he suffered in 1959. Mario's wife Betty died just 6 months later in her Beverly Hills home in California, some say of a broken heart. The Los Angeles Superior Court awarded the 4 children to Mario's parents, Antonio and Maria Cocozza, the very same year.

The Lanza Legend continues to grow with each passing year. His voice will never be forgotten, we shall see to that. This site is dedicated to a man and his voice. It was built with honesty and love for a man who took no short cuts along the way and never cheated his fans by prostituting his voice. Mario sang with his heart and it was his heart that finally gave out. Now, come join the legions of fans here and see why Mario is still considered to be the singer who 'set the standards for all to follow'.

The LanzaLegend Team (Bob, Damon & Marlene) who own this web site, The Lanza Legend Newsletter and Mario's only living son, Damon Lanza, wish to thank all of you who help perpetuate Mario's dreams and memory.

In closing I'd like to draw your attention to a body of work called "I Am Music" written beautifully by Allan C. Inman. It has always been a favorite of mine. You may consider this to be prose or poetry or even words to a song but whatever the genre, the work encompasses my feelings about music, emotion and human nature. Click on Mario's Canio icon below and enjoy the sentiment.

"Mario Lanza brings good people together." - Bob Dolfi