Andy Russell Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Andy Russell (1919-1992, born Andrés Rabago Pérez in East Los Angeles, California) was one of ten children born to Mexican immigrant parents. He began performing as a drummer and vocalist as a teenager. After Anglicizing his name in the 1940s, joined the bands of Johnny Richards, Gus Arnhiem, Sonny Dunham and Alvino Rey. Russell appeared on his own show, the Old Gold Show, in 1945 and briefly replaced Frank Sinatra on Your Hit Parade in 1946, which greatly increased his popularity. Russell had eight Top 10 hits between 1943 and 1948: Bésame Mucho(1944), Amor(1944), I Dream of You(1944), I Can't Begin to Tell You(1945), Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside) (1946), Pretending(1946), Anniversary Song(1947) and Underneath the Arches(1948). His popularity waned in the 1950s, but found new popularity in Argentina with a popular TV variety show. Russell moved back to the United States to record a few LPs but, besides the singles It's Such a Pretty World Today and I'm Still Not Through Missing You, his heyday was largely behind him.