Q&A with Deana Martin

Hey pallies, here's a q and a session with the Springfield, Missouri News-Leader....likes I think the last Dinoarticle on Deana that I posted was based on this interview. To checks this out at the original site, just clicks on the tagg of this Dinogram.

I share this with you pallies 'cause it contains a few insights into our great man. Again, all Dinodevoted readers of this blogg knows where I stand on Dino's girlpallie Deana...and gotta 'fess up if you read this interview you will discover why it only reinforces my less that inpressed view of her.

So unlike her daddy-o....very bold, very brass in her comments. Our Dino is a very private person, rarely givin' interiews...'cause he is so detached....it appears that Miss Deana is certainly a self-promoter and takes every opportunity to tell you all 'bout herself and what she wants.

I encourage all you Dinolovin' pallies to carefully read this interview...especially where Miss Martin tries to back-pedal here on her cruel statement that her daddy-o was "not a great father, but a great man." Likes when did she write this...when she was a little girl and wanted more of her father's time?...likes no, it was written when she was in her fifties and knew exactly what she was sayin. Read this carefully to learn 'bout the real Deana Martin and how different she is from our Dino. only devoted to our Dino, DMP




Q&A with Deana Martin
July 23, 2009



These are excerpts from an interview with Deana Martin, daughter of the late Dean Martin. Martin will be at the new Sam’s Club at 1 p.m. Thursday promoting her new CD “Volare” and signing her book.


Q. Why is your CD named Volare?


A. First of all, it’s one of my favorite songs my dad recorded so I had to put it on my new CD. (My husband and I) also named our plane Volare. We are both pilots and it’s written on the plane.


Q. When did you get a pilot’s license?


A. In 2004. I started writing the book, it was so intense, so as an outlet, a stress reliever, one wouldn’t think learning to fly a plane would be a stress reliever, I started taking lessons flying at Santa Monica airport. My husband has been a pilot for about 40 years and he wanted me to fly with him. He said if something happens to me when I’m flying, I think it would be great if you could land the plane. I started my training and loved it. It took about a year to complete that. I was very nervous on my first solo. What a thrilling, exciting experience to fly your own plane.


Q. What is your favorite song on the new album?


A. “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone.” I play it every morning. It picks me up. It’s not that it’s encouraging, but the arrangement is great ... it will make you get up and dance.


Of course singing the songs of my father is such a treat. It’s an overwhelming experience to sing them. I do feel his presence as a I sing them. I also do a Billy Joel song, “Just The Way You Are.” It’s my interpretation of these great classics. That is what is so fun about this album. Hopefully we can bring this music to a whole new generation.


Q. What was your favorite song your father sang?


A. So many are fantastic. I love “I Will.” I put that on the album. It was a huge hit for him in 1965 and I remember the first time I heard it, I thought that is so beautiful.


Q. What did you learn from your father as an entertainer?


A. He respected people’s time. Arrive on time, know what you’re supposed to do and be professional.

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I remember asking him if I could take voice lessons and he said ‘No. You’re going to sound like everyone the choir.’ He said ‘Be yourself and make it yours.’ That was easy for him to say because he had a natural voice. ... it’s a little more difficult for people who didn’t have that. Dad never needed one (voice coach).


I learned quite a bit from Frank Sinatra. He gave me my first singing lesson. I asked, ‘How do you get that great tone?’ He said, ‘It’s all about the breathing.’ He said, ‘Deana I can tell if I am going to hit the wrong note before it comes out.’


I said, ‘Really, does my dad do that?’ He said, ‘No, your dad has no idea. He’s a natural.’


I had some pretty good advice from pretty incredible singers. I am very lucky to be able to sing these songs.


Q. How old were you?


A. Probably about 17 years old. It’s a moment I will never forget. You have these aha moments in your life. I knew when I went to watch my dad perform ... “Memories Are Made Of This,” .... they adored him. That was a moment, I knew this is what I want to do.


Q. What was Dean Martin like as a father?


A. He was so funny. In my book, I have a quote that says he wasn’t a great father, he was a great man. I don’t want people to misunderstand that. I would have loved for him to be home more. He was home every night for dinner. I am this little daughter who wants her daddy all the time. He was an incredible provider, told us he loved us every day. I just wanted more personal time to myself. (This book) is a love letter to him and his success and our lives together.


It’s going to be made into a movie. ... Bonnie Hunt is writing the screenplay. And who the heck can be Dean Martin?


Q. What else would you like do with your life?


A. I have my gaze set on winning a Grammy. I would love this album to become a Grammy winner. My dad never won a Grammy award until the past year when he received lifetime Grammy achievement award. I thought that was odd. You see people who have not had the success of my father and have nine Grammies for one (album).

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I would like to do a Broadway play, a musical. If I could learn how to fly, I can probably do this.


Q. So do you want to win a Grammy for yourself or more for your father?


A. I would love for him to know I was able to do this. Of course it’s for me and all the hard work. I think this album is so good it’s worthy of a Grammy. I think it would bring more recognition to this type of music and the Martin family and his namesake.


It brings his name back in the spotlight. The weight of everything he did in his life is so important for generations. He’s the soundtrack for so many lives. We lost him on Christmas morning 1995, but it’s like he’s still with us. You go into any restaurant and you’ll hear his music. I want to keep that alive.


Q. Did it bother your father that he never won a Grammy?


A. He never said anything because that is not the way he was. I am sure in his heart he probably couldn’t understand why he wasn’t getting one. ... I don’t think it was his fault. I think it was probably management ... there is no reason on earth he wouldn’t have something like that. It’s shocking to me. Now he does (have a lifetime achievement award) and we’re thrilled about that. That is something very, very special.


Q. He was funny on stage. What he funny in person?


A. Like you would not believe. What you saw in his TV show, that is what he was. He was funny, he was kind, he was cool. ‘The King of cool,’ Elvis Presley told me that.


In those days you would get around the studio on a bicycle. ... Elvis came up on this bicycle and stopped to say ‘Hi’ to my father and he (Dean Martin) said ‘Deana this is Elvis Presley.’ Elvis said ‘They call me the King of Rock and Roll but your dad is the King of cool.’ I almost died. It has to be true, Elvis Presley thinks my dad is the king of cool. I put one of Elvis Presley song on my album, “Love me Tender.”


Q. What is your favorite story from your book?


A. My 16th birthday, Dad said, “What would you like?” and I said I would like a coat from Wilson’s House of Suede. He said ‘Absolutely. Go get your coat.’ I said, ‘I would like you to be there with me and pick it out.’ There a story about Dad showing up after school one day ... he was surrounded by sales ladies. I tried on every coat they had and he sat there patiently. After about an hour, I could see he was ready to go back to golf game, he said ‘That is the coat.’ Then I said, ‘Now we have to pick out the color.’ After another 15 minutes ... I said. “Now we have to pick out the buttons.” He was so sweet to take the time out of his day while I tried on every coat and then decide what color, should the buttons be tortoise shell? He was kind and generous with his time on that day and that is one of my favorite moments in my life.

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(The book) will make you laugh and make you cry. ... It’s not just a book for Dean Martin fans, it’s about life lessons. It’s my life. My mom was divorced from my dad and then we went to live with him. It’s how you get through obstacles in my life and how it all worked out great. I didn’t have a perfect little life, it was tough for all us, but you can come through and end up with a fabulous life. You can turn things around and be happy. Hopefully it will be an inspiration and touch people in different ways.


Q. What was it like to know people thought of your dad as a sex symbol?


A. I never thought of it in that way. I know I’m very naive. I knew men wanted to be around him and women wanted to be with him. I knew he had an incredible appeal for everyone. I never thought of it that way.


We were Catholic. I never heard him swear. The first time I heard him say a bad word I was 20-something in Las Vegas. He was very clean, down-to-earth. We never had any yelling in the house. You wouldn’t have thought of that with an Italian dad. I knew people just adored my father. It wasn’t until later in life that I thought of anything.


Q. Anything else you want to add?


A. I hope people will buy the album. It’s our record label. We put a lot of thought and money into it and picked the best musicians. We put so much of our time and love. It’s a labor of love, but a fabulous album. It’s a celebration. I hope they enjoy it.