Tony Butala, a founding member of the iconic vocal group The Lettermen, died on Nov. 1 at the age of 87, his representative confirmed. Butala was the voice behind the group's 1961 rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight," which earned a Grammy nomination.
The Lettermen, co-founded by Butala in the late 1950s with Jim Pike and Bob Engemann, achieved significant success, charting 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving a total of four Grammy Award nominations.
Butala performed with the group for over 60 years, releasing popular songs such as "Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes off You," "Everything Is Good About You," "Come Back Silly Girl," "Theme from a Summer Place," and "Hurt So Bad."
He retired from performing in 2019. The following year, Butala attended the ceremony honoring The Lettermen with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Butala began his professional singing career as a child, performing on KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh at age 8. He later moved to Los Angeles with his mother at age 10, where he joined the Mitchell Boys Choir. The choir appeared in films including "White Christmas," "Peter Pan," "War of the Worlds," and "On Moonlight Bay."
Pike died in 2019 at age 82, and Engemann died in 2013. The current lineup of The Lettermen includes Donovan Tea, Bobby Poynton, and Rob Gulack. The band's media coordinator, Tracy Clark, stated, "We have lost an integral member of The Lettermen family."
A cause of death was not disclosed. Plans for celebrations of life in Wisconsin and California will be announced later. The official band statement noted, "Tony never met a stranger. His life was a living example of talent, perseverance, and refinement. But, above all, his true joy was entertaining and sharing his music with audiences worldwide."