Vito & the Salutations are a New York doo wop group from the 1960s, whose first popular recording "Gloria" was a regional hit. In the early 1960s, doo wop versions of standards were popular. These included 1961's "Blue Moon" by The Marcels and "Heart and Soul" by The Cleftones. Vito & the Salutations scored a success in 1963 with an up-tempo version of the song "Unchained Melody", which reached number 60 on the Cash Box hit parade, and made the Top Ten in many cities. The group existed from roughly 1961-1965, with a reunion in 1971. Lead singer Vito Balsamo also performed with the DelVons and The Kelloggs. The doo wop version of Unchained Melody has been included in several movies, most notably the 1990 film Goodfellas.
