Editing Perry Como (section)

==Early years==
Como was born in [[Canonsburg, Pennsylvania]], about {{convert|20|mi|km}} southwest of [[Pittsburgh]].<ref name="Canonsburg">{{cite news |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20010513comoside6.asp |title=Canonsburg Remembers Perry Como |date=May 13, 2001 |last1=Silver |first1=Jonathan D. |last2=Belko |first2=Mark |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |access-date=April 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308012357/http://old.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20010513comoside6.asp |archive-date=March 8, 2016}}</ref> He was the seventh of 13 children{{sfn|Macfarlane|2009|pp=8–9}} and the first American-born child of Pietro Como (1877–1945) and Lucia Travaglini (1883–1961),{{sfn|Macfarlane|2009|p=7}}{{sfn|Macfarlane|2009|p=10}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19610422&id=4W4rAAAAIBAJ&pg=2329,1841224 |title=Perry Como's Mother Dies At 78 |page=11 |date=April 22, 1961 |newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] |access-date=May 7, 2010}}</ref> who both emigrated to the US in 1910 from the [[Abruzzi|Abruzzese]] town of [[Palena, Italy]].{{sfn|Graybill|2008|p=211}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nQUOAAAAIBAJ&pg=5372,5809408&dq=perry+como&hl=en |title=Christmas, family and faith still important to Perry Como |page=45 |date=December 22, 1979 |newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times|St. Petersburg Times]] |access-date=May 7, 2010 |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220111902/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nQUOAAAAIBAJ&pg=5372,5809408&dq=perry+como&hl=en |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Lucia"/> He did not begin speaking English until he entered school, since the Comos spoke Italian at home.<ref name="Fifty">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HYgxAAAAIBAJ&pg=5034,1610508&dq=perry+como+rca&hl=en |title=Fifty years in show business |last=Campbell |first=Mary |page=6 |date=June 11, 1983 |newspaper=Rome News Tribune |access-date=November 25, 2010}}</ref> The family had a second-hand organ his father had bought for $3; as soon as Como was able to toddle, he would head to the instrument, pump the [[Reed organ|bellows]], and play music he had heard.<ref name = "Story"/>

Pietro, a mill hand and an amateur [[baritone]], had all his children take music lessons even if he could barely afford them.<ref name="Faith"/> In a rare 1957 interview, Como's mother, Lucia, described how her young son also took on other jobs to pay for more music lessons; Como learned to play many different instruments, but never had a voice lesson.<ref name="Lucia">{{cite news |title=Perry Como a Nice Boy Who Grew Up to Be a Nice Guy |last=Carlin |first=Margie |date=May 11, 1957 |page=48 |newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Sentinel]]}}</ref> He showed more musical talent in his teenaged years as a trombone player in the town's [[brass band]], playing guitar, singing at weddings, and as an organist at church.<ref name = "Early Bio" /><ref name="Soul">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13968025/soul_of_perry_como/ |title=In search of the soul of Perry Como |date=December 17, 1995 |page=84 |last=Nelson Jones |first=Diana |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=May 4, 2010 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> Como was a member of the Canonsburg Italian Band along with bandleader Stan Vinton, father of singer [[Bobby Vinton]] and often a customer at Como's barber shop.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZLQeAAAAIBAJ&pg=5092,1213943&dq=perry+como+stan+vinton&hl=en |title=Love of Music, Gimmicks, Keep Lee Barrett In Swing at 68 |last=Bishop |first=Pete |date=June 4, 1982 |page=6 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |access-date=June 28, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JLMyAAAAIBAJ&pg=704,590244&dq=perry+como+vinton+barber&hl=en |title=Entertainment World |date=August 3, 1968 |last=Atkinson |first=Gord |page=12 |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |access-date=June 28, 2010}}</ref>{{sfn|Greffenstette|2009|p=128}}

Como started helping his family at age 10, working before and after school in Steve Fragapane's barber shop for 50¢ a week. By age 13, he had graduated to having his own chair in the Fragapane barber shop, although he stood on a box to tend to his customers.<ref name="Story">{{cite news |title=My Story-Perry Como |pages=21–22 |date=January 10, 1954 |last1=Como |first1=Perry |last2=Zolotow |first2=Maurice |author2-link=Maurice Zolotow |magazine=[[The American Weekly]]}}</ref><ref name=Story2>{{cite web |url=http://www.jumpingfrog.com/images/epm07apr16/mzlb149b.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504225410/http://www.jumpingfrog.com/images/epm07apr16/mzlb149b.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 4, 2016 |title=My Story-Perry Como Part 2 |date=January 17, 1954 |last1=Como |first1=Perry |last2=Zolotow |first2=Maurice |author2-link=Maurice Zolotow |page=8 |magazine=[[The American Weekly]] |access-date=July 17, 2011}}</ref><ref name="NYT">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/14/nyregion/perry-como-relaxed-and-elegant-troubadour-of-recordings-and-tv-is-dead-at-88.html?scp=3&sq=perry%20como&st=cse |title=Perry Como, Relaxed and Elegant Troubadour of Recordings and TV, Dies at 88 |date=May 13, 2001 |last=Severo |first=Richard |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=April 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016062412/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/14/nyregion/perry-como-relaxed-and-elegant-troubadour-of-recordings-and-tv-is-dead-at-88.html?scp=3&sq=perry%20como&st=cse |archive-date=October 16, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Also around this time, Como lost his week's wages in a dice game. Filled with shame, he locked himself in his room and did not come out until hunger got the better of him. He managed to tell his father what had happened to the money his family depended on. His father told him he was entitled to make a mistake and that he hoped his son would never do anything worse than this.<ref name="Story"/>

When Como was 14, his father became unable to work because of a severe heart condition. Como and his brothers became the support of the household.<ref name="Faith">{{cite news |title=Success Is Result of Faith |last=Como |first=Perry |page=1 |date=March 11, 1955 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=October 24, 2010 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BcQwAAAAIBAJ&pg=1185,2940254&dq=perry+como&hl=en}}</ref>

Despite his musical ability, Como's primary ambition was to become the best barber in Canonsburg. Practicing on his father, he mastered the skills well enough to have his own shop at age 14.{{sfn|Macfarlane|2009|p=11}}{{sfn|Grudens|2004|pp=63–69}} One of Como's regular customers at the barber shop owned a Greek coffeehouse that included a barber shop area, and asked Como whether he would like to take over that portion of his shop. Como had so much work after moving to the coffeehouse, he had to hire two barbers to help. His customers worked mainly at the nearby steel mills. They were well-paid, did not mind spending money on themselves, and enjoyed Como's song renditions. He did especially well when one of his customers would marry. The groom and his men would avail themselves of every treatment Como and his assistants had to offer. Como sang romantic songs while busying himself with the groom as the other two barbers worked with the rest of the groom's party. During the wedding preparation, the groom's friends and relatives would come into the shop with gifts of money for Como. He became so popular as a "wedding barber" in the Greek community that he was asked to provide his services in Pittsburgh and throughout Ohio.<ref name=Story2/>