CATCHING UP ON THE PAST FEW DAYS POSTINGS #4
Peter Lemongello (born February 11, 1947) is an American singer from Jersey City, New Jersey and North Babylon, New York, best known for his double album Love '76, the first albums to be sold exclusively through television advertising. After spending years as a cabaret career, with several appearances on national TV (including 25 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson), Lemongello hit upon the idea of creating an album to be sold exclusively on TV.
Peter Lemongello is the first person to sell over a million records through a television direct marketing campaign,[2] and was also the first entertainer to underwrite a television direct advertising campaign selling shares in the project to private investors.[3]
Using a city-by-city marketing strategy, he and his partners began their Love ‘76 advertising campaign with an around the dial TV Blitz in the New York Market, January 1, 1976 targeting all six New York metropolitan channels 70 to 100 times a week. Sales of the double album skyrocketed him to fame,and the campaign entered Los Angeles and Las Vegas[4] and the album began to sell in the millions, attracting widespread media attention.
The artist attracted the attention of Private Stock Records, who signed Lemongello in April 1976. By choice, Lemongello ended his self promotional efforts and released his second album,"Do I Love You",in early 1977. Shortly after its release, Private Stock Records went out of business. Lemongello concentrated on live performances, appearing at Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
