 Michael Bublé's introduction to the music of the swing era came to him
through his grandfather, who filled his grandson's ears with the sounds of the Mills Brothers, Ella
Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and others. As Michael Bublé eagerly absorbed the recordings, he began to realize
that he wanted to be a singer and that this style of music, virtually foreign to his own generation, was what
he wanted to perform. With his grandfather's assistance, Michael Bublé soon learned a whole catalog of tunes
and gained experience and exposure by singing as a guest with several local bands. While still in his teen
years, Michael Bublé won the Canadian Youth Talent Search, released several independent albums, and performed
in a musical review titled +Swing that traveled across the U.S. It wasn't long before Michael Bublé was
introduced to Grammy-winning producer David Foster and signed his first major recording contract with Reprise
Records.
The two Canadians began work on a debut album that would incorporate Michael Bublé's
aptitude for pop standards into songs that spanned several decades. His self-titled debut disc was released
in early 2003, and featured jazzy takes on old standards like "Fever" and "The Way You Look Tonight" as well
as newer classics like Van Morrison's "Moondance" and the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart."
Further exposure ensued with a world tour and appearances on several television programs like NBC's Today
Show, in which Michael Bublé sang a duet with host Katie Couric. He finished off 2003 with an EP of holiday
material, Let It Snow, and began 2004 with the live CD/DVD set Come Fly With Me. In 2005, It's Time was a
number one hit in Canada, Japan, Italy, and Australia, and made the top ten of both the UK and US.
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