Pete Loconto born October 13, 1924

Pete Loconto (October 13, 1924 - August 22, 1998) was the eldest of a fraternal trio from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who, as The Lane Brothers, were a pristinely polished and consistently crowd-thrilling act during their nearly 40 years together. Among New England's most noteworthy musical exports, the group toured North America and Europe as headliners and opened for many chart-topping acts. 

The group comprised of Pete (b.1924), Frank (b.March 26, 1931) and Art (b.1933). In 1947, 23 year old Pete and 16 year old Frank formed a singing duo with Frank on rhythm guitar and harmonica and Pete playing lead on electric Spanish guitar. They performed at local schools, CYO events and private functions before 15 year old Art joined the group on bass and vocals in 1948 and they became the Lame Brothers, appearing regularly at Boston area nightspots.

By the end of 1948, The Lane brothers had made national television appearances on Toast Of The Town and The Milton Berle Show and in 1950 they were yhe debut act on the opening night of the Hilbilly Ranch in Boston, where they performed frequently while appearing live multiple times on WCBR in Waltham and the WCOP radio program Hayloft Jamboree. From 1952-53, the Loconto brothers' musical ambitions were interrupted when Frank was drafted into the Army and spent a year in Korea, followed by Art being drafted and spending a year in Germany where he sang in a GI group. During that time Pete (who was past the maximum age at 28) landed a solo deal with Imperial Records, recording two singles for the label.

                                       

In late 1954 the reunited Loconto brothers resumed performing in the Boston area. In a pivotal career move, they hired as their manager Catskills resort entrepreneur Paul Grossinger who helped them build a refined stage routine and over the next two years turned the brothers into proficient and professional on stage act. In 1956, they were signed by RCA Records who sent the group to Nashville to record a cover of Terry Gilkyson and The Easy Riders song Marianne which reached #64 in the Billboard Hot 100.

But further releases in 1957  including cover versions of Uh-Uh Honey, Wake Up Little Susie, Lotta Lovin and Lips of Wine, charted, making it obvious that something about the groups sound had to change for them to recapture the publics attention. And change they did, in early 1958. Then ages 33,26 and 24 respectively and under enormous pressure from RCA to deliver a second hit, the brothers shifted from balladry to rockabilly and the result was spectacular. In March they recorded Boppin' in a Sack with RCA Sholes and Chet Atkins as producers.

In May 1958 Boppin' in a Sack hit #53 in the US, made Canada's To 100 and reached #4 in Australia. For nearly two years the Lane Brothers were one of pop music's most in-demand groups, filling major clubs and arenas, appearing on American Grandstand and The Tonight Show and opening for megastars like Bobby Darin, The Everly Brothers, Connie Francis, Frankie Avalon and Chuck Berry.

RCA released a string of new singles to capitalize on the momentum, but none made the charts and the label dropped the band in 1959. 1n 1960 Bobby Darin helped the brothers sign with Leader Records, but the groups charting days were finished. They became a regular act on cruise ships, played across Europe an US military bases and in 1964 relocated to Florida where they performed at conventions and supper clubs before releasing several more non-charting singles in 1969.

After spending the 1970s in semi-retirement, the brothers re-recorded Marianne and some other songs in 1981 before ending both their recording and performing days together in the mid 1980s. Frank continued to perform as a soloist and produced several albums. Since 1984 he has produced the TV program County Line on Florida's WBEC. Pete died in 1998 at the age of 74, followed by Art in 2018 at the age of 85. Frank died on September 20, 2023 in Miami, Florida, USA.

(Edited from Music Museum of New England article by D.S.Monahan & IMDb)