Michael Buble

Michael Buble, the Canadian retro crooner, grew up listening to such influences as Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Ella Fitzgerald. Egged on by his grandfather, Buble became a showbiz kid who loved performing and at age 17 he won the top prize in the Canadian Youth Talent Search. After releasing a number of independent albums, Buble went stateside and joined the touring company of the much-praised Broadway show Swing. After being featured as a nightclub singer in the movie Totally Blonde (2001), Buble signed to Reprise Records -- the label started by Sinatra - and released his self-titled disc in 2003. Touring and TV appearances spotlighted Buble's stage presence and his "I don't need studio trickery" talent and resulted in the album hitting the charts a number of different times. Buble's skills as a live performer were highlighted on the strong seller Come Fly With Me, which was followed by It's Time (2005), which shot to No. 1 in Canada and topped the U.S. jazz charts.