Tony Fontane (born Anthony Trankina; September 18, 1925 – June 30, 1974) was an American recording artist in the 1940s and 1950s who gave up his career in popular music to become a gospel singer following a near-fatal car accident in 1957.
His career singing gospel music was successful in his day, leading him to performing in concert halls and churches around the globe and recording many albums.
He became accomplished enough that he frequently sang in church services at the mission and, while still in high school, won the Dakota State Achievement award in a vocal contest.
He appeared on the shows of Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Paul Whiteman, and Eddie Bracken, and became a sought-after nightclub and Las Vegas act.
Vaughn, a golden-haired beauty who once performed as a stand-in for Lana Turner and appeared in the cult classic "Prehistoric Women,"[2] became known in Australia as a second Marilyn Monroe.
When he abandoned his popular career and refused to sing anything other than gospel music, he was sued by the William Morris Agency for breach of contract and lost everything.
He recorded albums, made a film about his life's story, and performed in churches, civic auditoriums, schools, military bases and concert halls.
Although a small selection of his popular and gospel recordings are available in MP3 format online, the majority of Fontane's music may largely be found in antique stores and Internet auctions.