Joe Valino

Joseph Paolino Jr. (March 9, 1929 – December 26, 1996),

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States,

Valino's version drew him to the attention of RCA Records, and he recorded the song "The Garden of Eden", written by Dennise Norwood, for its subsidiary Vik Records label in 1956. While "The Garden of Eden" was on the charts, a former girlfriend of Valino claimed that he had arranged for her to have an illegal abortion. He denied the charge, but was convicted, and received a 17-year probation. As a result, his music was removed from sale and banned from radio play.

He continued to perform in clubs, and moved to Hollywood in the 1960s to pursue an acting career. He appeared in the movies Girl in Gold Boots (1969) and The Commitment (1976). In 1977, he suffered a major heart attack, followed by a series of strokes that left him unable to sing. He returned to Philadelphia, and died in 1996 at the age of 67.