THE LETTERMEN - AUTOGRAPHED INSCRIBED PHOTOGRAPH CO-SIGNED BY: THE LETTERMEN (GARY PIKE), THE LETTERMEN (JIM PIKE), THE LETTERMEN (TONY BUTALA) - HFSID 294710

THE LETTERMEN: TONY BUTALA, JIM PIKE and GARY PIKE
Shown in camouflage ponchos and army helmets in promotional photo for the musical Over Here
Photograph inscribed and signed: "To Celia - Best Wishes - We hope/you enjoy all the records./Sincerely, The Lettermen/Tony Butala", "Jimmy Pike", "Gary/Pike". B/w, 8x10. Captioned in lower margin. The Lettermen, a vocal trio featuring close harmonies and sweetly sentimental lyrics, first performed in a review at the Desert Inn, Las Vegas in 1958. TONY BUTALA was a member of that original group, which broke up after that engagement. In 1960, Butala re-formed the group with JIM PIKE and Bob Engemann, and the group was soon charting major hits. Engemann was replaced in 1967 by GARY PIKE, Jim's younger brother. In all, the trio scored 16 top ten singles, 32 consecutive Billboard charting albums, and 5 Grammy nominations. Although Butala was the driving force behind the trio, and the only one still associated with it, all three members wrote songs and sang lead vocals. Together, these three were responsible for all the biggest hits - now pop standards: "The Way You Look Tonight," "When I Fall in Love," "Theme from a Summer Place," "I Only Have Eyes for Your" and "Goin' Out of My Mind." Jim Pike left the group in 1974, Gary in 1981. Butala owns exclusive rights to the Lettermen name, and the group still performs 200 concerts a year. The Pike brothers perform the trio's hits under the name Reunion. The Lettermen joined the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.  Corners cut and edges unevenly trimmed. Otherwise, fine condition.