Tony Butala, a co-founder of the Grammy-nominated vocal group The Lettermen, died Sunday at the age of 87. The band's media coordinator, Tracy Clark, confirmed Butala's death to The Associated Press, sharing an official statement from the band that expressed profound sadness at the loss of an "integral member."
The cause of death was not immediately provided. Public viewings will not be held, with details for future celebrations of life in Wisconsin and California to be announced.
Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1938, Butala began his professional singing career at age 7. By age 10, he had moved to Los Angeles, joined the Mitchell Boys Choir, and appeared in films such as "White Christmas" and "War of the Worlds."
In the late 1950s, Butala, along with Jim Pike and Bob Engemann, formed The Lettermen. Their first hit came in 1961 with their rendition of Fred Astaire's "The Way You Look Tonight," which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination in 1962. That same year, the trio was also nominated for best new artist.
Over the following decade, The Lettermen charted 19 additional songs, including two Top 10 hits: "When I Fall in Love" in 1962 and the 1968 medley "Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes off You," which was also nominated for a Grammy. Their last charting song was "Everything is Good About You" in 1971.
Butala was the final original member of the trio; Pike died in 2019 and Engemann died in 2013. The Lettermen maintained its distinctive three-part harmony sound throughout its history by continuing with new lineups.
Butala retired from performing in 2019. In 2020, he and The Lettermen were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The band's statement described Butala as someone whose "life was a living example of talent, perseverance, and refinement" and whose "true joy was entertaining and sharing his music with audiences worldwide."