TONY BUTALA of the Lettermen has had fame, fortune and the benefit of good health. But there are still a few things he aims for, he told the Inquirer by phone on the eve of his group?s series of gigs which opened Tuesday at the Manila Hotel Tent, and continues Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum, July 29 (Cebu Waterfront Hotel) and July 31 (University of Baguio).
?The Lettermen have never had a No. 1 record in the United States,? said Butala, 70. ?We?ve had gold albums, and singles that either went to No. 2 or No. 4 ... But more than that, I would like to influence new artists with our group?s attitude and image. Young stars tend to get into drugs, alcohol and bad publicity after the initial flush of success.?
Butala recalled the early years, like the time the group performed at a Montana hotel bar with cowboys in the audience, and in San Francisco with 21 people in a 500-capacity venue.
Appearing on the ?Ed Sullivan Show? in 1962 was, for him, the moment when The Lettermen really became famous. It was also then that he realized he wanted to be a singer for a long time.
He couldn?t forget receiving $27,000 in royalties in 1963, part of which he used as down payment to buy a house. He currently owns vineyards which produces California wine.
