Tony DeFranco

When Tony Defranco was a little boy in Ontario, Canada, he belonged to an instrumental quintet that was composed of his siblings. The family played throughout the area, with four-year-old Tony on maracas, brothers Nino and Benny on guitars, sister Merlina on drums, and sister Marisa on accordion and organ. The venues didn't vary much from regional television, weddings, and parades, and Tony Defranco didn't entertain any notion of becoming the family act's lead singer. In fact, he didn't even want to sing. His mother changed his mind with a five-dollar bribe, and he consented to belt out "Hey Jude" on stage at a Toronto banquet. Following an enthusiastic response from the audience, the act incorporated singing into their sets and The Defranco Family, with young Tony's alto at the forefront, was on its way.



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