NOW
YOU CAN PURCHASE AN AUTOGRAPHED!! COPY JIMMY'S NEW CD "SELF EXPRESSION" on his official website. (check out the blog above for autographed CD details)
Just go to http://www.jimmysalvemini.com
and click on the shop button
Jimmy
being introduced by Luther Vandross on Star Search
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Jimmy
on BET'S JList
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Jimmy
LIVE Present Day
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Does
that name sound familiar?
Maybe it is because a big part of his story is currently featured in the
first biography ever written about Luther Vandross, Luther: The Life and
Longingn of Luther Vandross. Luther took Jimmy under his wing and nurtured
his talent after seeing him perform on the hit talent show Star Search
when Jimmy was just 14 years old. But to tell the story of Jimmy, you
would have to first tell the story of his brother and manager, Larry Salvemini.
The story of Jimmy Salvemini's rise is also the story of what friends
and observers say was Larry' determination to engineer that rise. It is
the tale of two very different brothers, a dozen years apart in age. One
loved to be in front of crowds, the other hitchhiked 5,000 miles to escape
them, but they were brought together by a common dream.
It's the type of story of which books are written and movies are made.
While Larry raised and lived among wolves and started the Alaska Wolf
Association, his only means of communication to the outside world was
through a CB-like communication system broadcast over the radio, because
he lived in a remote location In the Alaskan tundra 50 miles from the
nearest road.
Over the airwaves he would hear about Jimmy's accomplishments like when
the 12 year- old held up a sign at a sold-out Barbara Mandrell concert
that read, "I'm 12 years old. Please fulfill my dreams to sing a
duet with you." Barbara called him up on stage and what started as
a duet quickly became Jimmy's solo performance. He received a standing
ovation. But it was when Larry heard about Jimmy winning a prized position
on Star Search, that he decided to leave the Alaskan wilderness and armed
only with his charm, persuasion and determination, decided to move to
the Sunset Strip where he taped a set of goals to the refrigerator for
him and Jimmy to achieve in order to accomplish the family dream.
Jimmy was born with a severe hearing loss which was discovered after family
members outside the house would hear music blasting inside, and upon investigation
would find Jimmy pressing his ear against the speaker of his oldest brother's
stereo. Doctors said Jimmy's hearing could only be partially corrected
through surgery.His Pentecostal pastor suggested Jimmy's mother take a
prayer cloth home. When putting Jimmy to bed that night, she placed the
cloth over his ears and prayed. About 20 minutes afterwards, Jimmy ran
into the kitchen with fluid draining from both ears. From that moment
on, this four year-old could hear like everyone else.
By six, he was singing solos in church and charging twenty-five cent admission
for the backyard concerts he gave at his house. By ten this young singer
was in high demand on the Long Island music circuit.
Shortly after his appearance on Star Search, Vandross invited Jimmy backstage
at one of his concerts at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. After
Jimmy gave a moving performance at Vandross' request, it was then that
Luther decided to set aside all projects and write and produce his new
proteges debut R and B album. Luther called in favors from many
notable old friends to appear on the album, such as Irene Cara, Pheobe
Snow, Brenda Russell, Cheryl Lynn, and Pee Wee Herman, just to name a
few.
After Larry negotiated a $250,000 deal with Elektra Records, he could
now check off another goal listed on the refrigerator.
On January 12,1986, the day after completing the last song for the debut
album, while on the way to the studio to celebrate what seemed to be the
pinnacle of Jimmy's teenage career, the Mercedes driven by Luther swerved
out of control and collided with two oncoming cars. Jimmy and Luther were
rushed to Cedar Sinai Medical Center while Larry was rushed to the trauma
center where he lay on an operating table for two hours as doctors struggled
to mend the mess that had been made of his body. Their efforts were valiant,
but the wounds proved too severe. It wasn't long before Jimmy's family
boarded a plane for LA and struggled to find a way to tell young Jimmy,
who was still in intensive care suffering from a collapsed lung and other
internalInjuries, that his big brother had died.
While all involved with the album had high hopes for its success, the
biography explains how the record company decided that in light of the
tragedy, it would be nearly impossible to launch a potential teen heartthrob
out of such horrific circumstances.
Jimmy went back home to Long Island, mourning his brother and trying to
heal his broken body. At that point, much like his older brother Larry
once did, Jimmy drew inward and escaped the crowds that used to invigorate
his talent. He retreated back to where he found comfort and tried to make
some sense of what the bigger picture might be. Jimmy became reclusive.
When he listened to the voice within, he discovered an innate ability
he never knew existed. writing songs and creating music. His newly discovered
talents became his channel of self-expression. Occasionally singing locally,
it was when Luther had his stroke that memories resurfaced.
Along with still unanswered questions, the lyrics of a poem spoke to Jimmy.
I have fond memories, so much of you lives in me With each song that I
sing, I remember Brother, This one's for you and the dream we shared too
I will carry it through the way we planned it." '
