Deana Martin

Deana Martin

Deana Martin performing live.
Born Deana Martin
Manhattan, New York
Residence Branson, MO & Beverly Hills, CA
Alma mater Dartington College of Arts
Occupation American singer, actor, author, performer
Spouse(s) John Griffeth
Relatives Dean Martin (father)

Deana Martin (born 19 August 1948) is an American singer, actor, author, performer and daughter of well-known entertainer, Dean Martin.

Early life

Deana Martin was born in Manhattan, New York, to Dean Martin and his first wife, Elizabeth (Betty) MacDonald. She moved to Beverly Hills, California with her family by the age of one. She later went to live with Dean and his second wife, Jeanne Biegger. During her childhood, it was not unusual for her dad’s Rat Pack friends, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr., to stop by for a visit. Being around her father and his friends led Deana to decide that she wanted a career in the entertainment industry.

Deana made her television debut in 1966, performing on The Dean Martin Show[1] [2] She became a frequent guest, taking part in both musical and comedy numbers with a wide array of entertainers including Frank Sinatra.[3] Deana trained professionally as an actor at the Dartington College of Arts in the United Kingdom. She has performed in theater productions in a variety of leading roles onstage including “Romeo & Juliet," "A Shot In The Dark" and the national touring company of The Star-Spangled Girl with George Hamilton. The entertainer has been in movies, co-starring alongside Robert Mitchum, Angie Dickinson and David Carradine in the 1969 western Young Billy Young; Vito Scotti in “Pisano A Voice In The Night”; and in “Strangers at Sunrise" with George Montgomery in 1969's unusual western, which was set in Africa during the Boer war. [4]

Deana first established herself as a recording artist with producer Lee Hazlewood for the Reprise Records label. The recordings included her country hit, "Girl of the Month Club," while Deana was still a teenager. [5] Other tunes on the project were “When He Remembers Me,” “Baby I See You” and “The Bottom Of My Mind,” all recorded during the 1960s. Musicians from the famous Los Angeles group the Wrecking Crew, which included Glen Campbell on guitar, played on these recordings.

In 2009 the singer’s CD “Volare,” released on Big Fish Records, was in both the “Billboard” Top Jazz Albums chart and the “Billboard” Heat Seekers chart.[6] It was preceded by “Memories Are Made of This” in 2006. [7] Deana’s 2013 release, “Destination Moon,” is a compilation of her favorite jazz and pop songs, plus a duet with her father, Dean Martin, on “True Love.” [8] The singer is also an author with her New York Times best-selling book, “Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter’s Eyes.”[9] [10] [11] Deana performs her father’s songs as well as favorite classic pop hits in venues around the world including symphony halls, performing arts centers, blues venues, jazz clubs and festivals.[12] [13] Deana is a health enthusiast, and in the 1980s and 90s, she developed the company Bodies by Deana, releasing a top-selling workout video, “The Deana Martin Total Body Workout.”

Deana and her producer/husband, John Griffeth, divide their time between a home in Beverly Hills, California and Branson, Missouri.

Musical career

Memories Are Made of This

Deana was in the recording studio in 2005, working on her first full-length album, Memories Are Made of This, for Big Fish Records. She covered some of her father’s hit songs, including the title cut along with “Everybody Loves Somebody," "That's Amore", "Just Bummin' Around" and “For Your Love,” written by her mother Betty Martin. She also sang a duet with Jerry Lewis on “Time After Time.”[14] The album, produced by her husband John Griffeth, reached the iTunes Top 10 chart, where it remained for 40 weeks throughout 2006 and 2007.

Volare

By 2008, following her successful sold-out “Memories Are Made of This” concert tour, Deana was ready to record again. She went into the studio at Capitol Records with the same team that produced her previous album to record Volare, released in 2009. [15] It debuted at number seven on Billboard’s Heat Seek chart, and climbed to 22 on the magazine’s Jazz Albums Chart. Volare also charted on iTunes Top 10 chart.

The album of 15 pop standards includes “Mack the Knife,” “What a Difference a Day Makes,” “Love Me Tender” and “That Old Black Magic,” along with the title tune. The recording was very emotional for Deana, who used her dad’s microphone to record the project. In fact, Deana was at Studio A at Capitol Records in Hollywood, California, on many occasions when her father, Dean Martin, was recording.

White Christmas

In 2011, Deana released her first album of holiday favorites, White Christmas. Joined by Andy Williams on the title track, Deana covered 10 of her favorite tunes, including “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”, "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow" and "Winter Wonderland".[16]

The singer again recorded with the team of Al Schmitt, John Griffeth and Charles Calello for her third album project.

Destination Moon

A year later, Deana was back in the studio working on her 2013 CD, Destination Moon. The album features 15 pop classics including “Break It To Me Gently,” “I Love Being Here With You” and “Beyond the Sea” Four new songs are included: “Where Did You Learn to Love Like That,” “Stuck in a Dream with Me,” “Read Between the Lines” and “Paradise.”

Concerts

Deana has a huge repertoire of music to choose from when she is in concert. She can pay homage to her father and draw from the Great American Songbook to find a combination of songs to perform for her audience. Her repertoire allows her to perform in a variety of venues, from the showrooms of Las Vegas to jazz festivals, performing arts centers, jazz clubs and with world-famous symphony orchestras. Her bookings have taken her from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to the Paramount Theatre in New York City. Appearances have been at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in Florida, Harrah’s Atlantic City, Rrazz Room in San Francisco, the Salt Lake City Jazz Festival, the Whiskey A Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, The Sands in Macao or Benaroya Hall, Seattle’s Symphony Hall and many others.[17]

Author

In 2004, Deana released Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter’s Eyes. The book is an honest look at Dean Martin and his family, and gives insight into the varied sides of the entertainer she knew as her father.[10] [11]

Deana shares stories about his friends in the Rat Pack that have never been told before from a perspective of a young girl growing up around them. She talks about how her father handled his busy career, public performances and his personal role as husband and father. [18] She talks about losing her brother, Dino, in a plane crash, and how hard it was to deal with that experience. Deana also writes about growing up among Hollywood’s elite, including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and the Beatles, going ballroom dancing with a young Jeff Bridges and dating Davy Jones of The Monkees.

Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter’s Eyes made Deana a New York Times best-selling author. [19] It was a best seller in the United States, Australia and England. The book was published by Random House in the U.S. and Macmillan Publishers in the UK.

Deana is working on turning the book into a movie.[20]

On stage and in the movies

Deana trained professionally at the Dartington College of Arts in the United Kingdom. Her theatrical credits, include the English productions of "Romeo & Juliet," "The Taming of the Shrew," "Hamlet," "A Taste of Honey" and many others.

Deana co-starred on Broadway in Neil Simon’s play “Star Spangled Girl” with George Hamilton and Jimmy Boyd. Other starring roles include "Wait Until Dark," "6 Rms Riv Vu," "A Shot In the Dark" and "The Tunnel of Love".[21] Deana made her major motion picture debut in "Young Billy Young," a classic of the Western genre in which she starred with Robert Mitchum, David Carradine and Angie Dickinson. This debut led to subsequent starring roles in the films "Strangers At Sunrise" with George Montgomery, and “A Voice In The Night" with Vito Scotti.[22]

Honoring her father

For many years, Deana and husband John Griffeth worked to encourage the state of Ohio to recognize the achievements and career of Ohio’s Favorite Son, Dean Martin. Throughout his career, her father never forgot his roots in Steubenville, Ohio.[23] The couple’s hard work paid off in 2001. Ohio Governor Bob Taft signed Senate Bill number 17, which henceforth enacted each June 7 as Dean Martin Day in the Buckeye State.

In 2002, an Ohio Historical Marker was unveiled in Dean’s hometown. This marker serves as a reminder of the indelible link between the Ohio Valley city and Dean Martin.

Media appearances

Deana's television debut occurred on NBC's "The Dean Martin Show". She became a frequent guest, taking part in both musical and comedy numbers with a wide array of guests, including Frank Sinatra.

Deana has appeared on television shows around the world, including “The Bonnie Hunt Show,” “The Today Show,” “Live with Regis & Kelly,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” “Larry King Live,” “A&E Biography,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “E! Entertainment Television,” “Access Hollywood,” “The Tony Danza Show,” “Country Music Television (CMT),” “Sky Italia,” and all the top rated BBC shows including “The Big Breakfast” and “Bruce Forsyth On Vegas.” She also starred in her own TV talk show, “The Deana Martin Show,” which ran for four seasons.

In 2003 Deana appeared with Jerry Lewis for a musical performance on the annual MDA Show of Strength. The two dueted on “Time After Time” in honor of her father.

The entertainer has been profiled in publications such as: “Jazz Times,” “Family Tree Magazine,” “417 Magazine,” “Razor Magazine” and “HELLO.” Profiles on Deana have appeared in newspapers and publications around the US and abroad including England, Italy, Germany, Japan and Australia. Deana Martin, who is a licensed pilot, was also featured in a cover story for the magazines “Twin Cessna Flyer” and “AOPA” (one of America's top selling aviation magazines), both of which talked with her about her passion for flying.

In 2005, Deana joined Sirius/XM Satellite Radio and continues to work with them for various programming. On Father’s Day, 2013, Deana joined Tina Sinatra for her Father’s Day Special. It also featured Natalie Cole, Monica Mancini and Daisy Torme, all reminiscing about their famous fathers.[24]

Discography

Albums

References

  1. ↑ The Leonard Lopate Show: Deana Martin on the Legendary Dean Martin - WNYC
  2. ↑ Deana Martin: To Know Her Is To Love Her | Dean, Golds and Dings
  3. ↑ Deana Martin Recalls Performing With 'King Of Cool' Dad Dean Martin (WATCH)
  4. ↑ The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search
  5. ↑ Baby I See You - Lee Hazlewood,Deana Martin | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic
  6. ↑ Deana Martin - Chart history | Billboard
  7. ↑ Jazz Albums: Memories Are Made of This Deana Martin - By Harvey Siders — Jazz Articles
  8. ↑ Deana Martin -- Internationally-acclaimed entertainer will bring tour to St. Charles, at the Edwardsville Intelligencer; published February 20, 2014; retrieved May 18, 2014
  9. ↑ Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes: Deana Martin, Jerry Lewis, Wendy Holden: 9781400098330: Amazon.com: Books
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Deana Martin: Dad was 'amazing guy' | Las Vegas Review-Journal
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes by Deana Martin — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists
  12. ↑ Deana Martin to honor father, Dean, at Turning Stone tribute performance | syracuse.com
  13. ↑ Deana Martin Christmas Show will feature songs, stories from famous dad | Las Vegas Review-Journal
  14. ↑ Amazon.com: Memories Are Made of This: Music
  15. ↑ Volare - Deana Martin | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic
  16. ↑ A Dean and Deana Martin Christmas
  17. ↑ Live Music: Deana Martin at Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. | The International Review of Music
  18. ↑ Memories Are Made of This by Deana Martin · OverDrive: eBooks, audiobooks and videos for libraries
  19. ↑ Deana Martin - The Edwardsville Intelligencer : Entertainment
  20. ↑ Dean Martin's Daughter Deana Talks Memoir Becoming A Movie | Access Hollywood Videos - Yahoo Screen
  21. ↑ Friends of Michael Cole and fans of The Mod Squad.: Deana Martin and Michael Cole in "Wait until Dark"
  22. ↑ Strangers at Sunrise (1969) - IMDb
  23. ↑ 15.) Dean Martin Festival – Steubenville – June 19, 2010 | Ohio Festivals
  24. ↑ Sirius XM Radio Inc : Tina Sinatra to Host a Father's Day Special on SiriusXM's Siriusly Sinatra Channel | 4-Traders

External links