L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 4 ALFONSO GUERRIERO JR. NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS D uring this past sum- mer, I attended my friend's bachelor party in New Orleans. Prior to vis- iting the Crescent City, I had made preliminary arrangements to mix some business with pleasure and schedule an interview with Lena Prima, daughter of Louis Prima, the irrepressible, jazz trumpeter, singer and just a gigolo New Orleanian showman from the1930s to the 1970s. We met at the Hotel Monteleone, an estab- lishment that hosted American lit- erary writers like Ernest Heming- way, Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. The location is also a place where Lena had a singing residency for several years and her father, before her, had performed, in the hotel's Sky- light Room. Now in the 21st century, Lena Prima carries on her father's music and proud ethnic heritage, along with starting a non-profit organization Ciao Women, which recognizes Italian American women from Louisiana. Initially, Lena reminisced about her father. "I remember my father as a shin- ing light with charisma and a happy persona that made every- one happy." His gesticulated per- formances on the stages of Las Vegas and the Big Apple earned Louis the nickname The King of Swing. He sang catchy jingles using Italian accents and words in bal- lads during a time of considerable xenophobia. In essence, Louis became the de facto ambassador between Americans and those against Italians in WW II. His popular hits, of which critics opined that Prima played into the ethnic stereotype, like Angelina, Felicia No Capricia, Buona Sera, My Cucuzza, Topolino, Please Don't Squeeza the Banana and Baciagaloop (Makes Love on the Stoop) were a large part of Amer- ican entertainment, and his life is presently highlighted in an exhibit at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. "Louis Prima," as music curator David Kunian for the museum explained, "deserves to be consid- ered with the icons of New Orleans music. He is up there with Armstrong, Bechet, Tous- saint, Domino, Dr. John, and Lil Wayne." Louis Prima and his wife Gia Maione had two children, Lena was born in (Las Vegas) 1963 and Louis Prima Jr. in 1965. In 1963, Gia became the entertainer's fifth wife and replaced another one of Louis' ex-wives and most popular band mates, Heely Smith. Gia joined Prima, Sam Butera and the Witnesses for several years until Louis passed away in 1978. Lena was fourteen when her father died. His passing prompted her to carry on his music and cre- ate her own singing career. At an early age, she followed her par- ents' musical path. "I remember the first night I performed with my father as if it were yesterday. It was in 1969 at the Sands and I sang the only song I knew at five/six years old, Santa Claus is coming to Town. From then on," said Lena gleefully, "I loved to sing." The singer continues to enter- tain, as she recently released, in early 2019, Prima la Famiglia, that debuted at #10 on the Bill- Continued to page 6 Lena Prima, daughter of legendary Italian American musician Louis (©: Lena Prima)

• Cover