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 (2205), which shot to No. 1 in Canada and topped the U.S. jazz charts.
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