Musician, Composer. Born Theodore Salvatore Fiorito, he began his professional career in 1919, as a pianist at the recording studios of Columbia Records in New York City. In 1921, he moved to Chicago and joined the Oriole Orchestra directed by Dan Russo. He soon became band co-leader with Russo and the band name was changed to the Russo-Fiorito Orchestra. When Russo left in 1928, he took over as the sole leader and moved the group to California as the Fiorito Orchestra. During the big band era, he toured, performed on radio programs broadcast coast to coast and gained wide recognition as a composer and entertainer. As a songwriter, his catalog boasts such classic standards as "Toot, Toot Tootsie!", "Charley My Boy", "I Never Knew", "When Lights Are Low", "Sometime", "Roll Along, Prairie Moon" and "Yours Truly". His numerous film appearances included "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" (1933), "What Price Jazz" (1934), "Sea Melody" (1939), "Rhythm Parade" (1942) and "Out of This World" (1945). He was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Cause of death: heart attack.
Musician, Composer. Born Theodore Salvatore Fiorito, he began his professional career in 1919, as a pianist at the recording studios of Columbia Records in New York City. In 1921, he moved to Chicago and joined the Oriole Orchestra directed by Dan Russo. He soon became band co-leader with Russo and the band name was changed to the Russo-Fiorito Orchestra. When Russo left in 1928, he took over as the sole leader and moved the group to California as the Fiorito Orchestra. During the big band era, he toured, performed on radio programs broadcast coast to coast and gained wide recognition as a composer and entertainer. As a songwriter, his catalog boasts such classic standards as "Toot, Toot Tootsie!", "Charley My Boy", "I Never Knew", "When Lights Are Low", "Sometime", "Roll Along, Prairie Moon" and "Yours Truly". His numerous film appearances included "Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" (1933), "What Price Jazz" (1934), "Sea Melody" (1939), "Rhythm Parade" (1942) and "Out of This World" (1945). He was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Cause of death: heart attack.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Advertisement
See more Fio Rito memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
