Don Rondo, best-known for his rendition of "White Silver Sands" (#7-1957), died of lung cancer Thursday (January 27) at his home in Contoocook, New Hampshire. He was 81. Born Donald Rondeau in 1930 in Ware, Massachusetts, he sang with local groups and on radio before coming to the attention of Jubilee Records. His first recording for the label, "Two Different Worlds" (#11-1956) established him as one of the decade's pre-eminent crooners. Two follow-ups went nowhere, but he returned to the charts with "White Silver Sands"(while admitting that the lyrics made no sense to him) and "There's Only You" (#77-1957). Inexplicably, his career stalled at that point, even after switches to Atlantic, Carlton, Roulette and Decca Records. He went on to become a successful New Hampshire businessman and, in later years, a conservative radio talk show host.
