Dean Martin:

It's true. You might be reading this and ask, "Who is Dean Martin?" And, "OG" is a term of the NOW generation, so how could this Dean Martin guy possibly be an original gangster? Well most assuredly, he was a gangster and he was one of the originals from the famous "Rat Pack" originals.

Put the names of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawton, and Sammy Davis, Jr. together and you have the Rat Pack. This was a term that was affectionately given to this group in the 1960's when they made movies in Hollywood, did comedy on television, and played venues in Vegas. Put those names in a group and you also got instant connections to well-known Mafia members and even politics. And Las Vegas was the happening place, making the Mafia very rich and the Rat Pack very famous.

So, why would I have been crushing (well, I still am crushing) on Deano? Now mind you, he was older than my parents when I discovered him as a child. But he and his side-kick, Jerry Lewis made me giggle with their comedic antics from an early age in movies like, "That's My Boy."

According to Wikipedia, " Martin and Lewis were the hottest act in America during the early '50s, as well as the highest paid act in show business according to a 1951 LIFE Magazine article the duo was featured in while on their most successful movie tour promoting That's My Boy."

He also reminded me so much of my Uncle Jimmy, whom I adored. They were both tall, good-looking, had jet black hair, a warm smile, were smooth talking, had great sense of humor, and the women swooned over them. I must share to see if you agree?

But it wasn't until I was fully grown that I truly became enamored by "the King of Cool," Dean Martin. And got drawn in by that voice! Ahhh...so smooth that it makes you melt. Although Wikipedia lists "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" and "Volare", as his "signature songs, I think my favorite of his, is "Return to Me." Please enjoy on the you tube link listed below the album shown.

I really respected the fact that throughout his life, Dean Martin was a family man. I say this, even though he had several marriages. He had a total of eight children within these unions. From all that I understand, they were the center of his world. For more pictures of him with his family, see the blog, https://coolnessistimeless.blogspot.com/2009/04/dean-martin-family-man.html

It's very important to be, in my opinion, an humble person. And, according to his daughter, Deana, in an interview with Stephanie Nolasco | Fox News, As my dad would say to me, "Treat people the way you want to be treated." And, and so that's what we did. We just treated people the way we want to be treated — treat people with respect. And my dad could be with the queen of England or with the guy who drove the vegetable truck. He was as happy to be with either one and everybody loved him. And that's how he taught us to be, is just to respect everybody and just be down to earth... Just be kind."

I find it amusing, that maybe just by chance, there are some of you who might have only learned of Dean Martin from the popular television series, "Family Guy." Via Family Guy Wiki:

"In "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing", Frank Sinatra, Jr. tells Dakota and New Bedford stories about his youth. He claims Martin was the only one on the golf course who had a five-iron with a cork connected to the end of it.

He appears with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. in "Jerome Is the New Black" singing racist songs that were perfectly acceptable through the 1950s-1960s. On the album, he contributed "Chinaman's Chance", and sang "Hey There, Fruity" with Sinatra and Davis, Jr.

Dean's spirit advises Peter to treat Lois with Italian charm in order to win her back in "Boopa-Dee Bappa-Dee".

Peter is inspired by a Dean Martin roast infomercial to ask his friends to throw him a roast in "Roasted Guy". Martin is voiced by John Viener."

No matter how or when Dean Martin has been introduced to you, he will always be a classic, one-of-a-kind, top-notch icon in my books. And even though, I'm well into my sixties now, his voice still makes my heart skip a beat and my legs swoon. I hope you learn to appreciate him as I do, too!