Who is Aaron Conte?

Present: Will, Bill & Lynne, Edgar, Ben, Steve & Jeanette, Jim, Big Jay, Andy

In a low-key kind of way, this Monday's fairly select gathering ended up discussing song - or at least that's what I heard most about. But if you know better, do say!
Ben, on one of his occasional visits, raised the intriguing question, Who is Aaron Conte? The reason is that he has a framed Platinum Disc, the accolade bestowed on records that sell (or at least ship) more than a million copies.
The trouble is, this record dates back a good 50 years and intense Google searches don't reveal a singer of that name in that era. Indeed, the only Aaron Conte on Imdb is an actor/drummer who is around today and has no such sales. It could be a mistake, it could be a hoax. Answers on a postcard, please.
That led, by a roundabout route to a wayward to and fro about Christmas songs, and how Ian should release a Christmas album - for some reason, Santa Baby was thought to be a good track for him. The musically minded around the table then launched into a Christmas medley, including Silver Bells. Turned out this was originally called Tinkle Bells - until the composer Jay Livingston's wife told him not to be so silly!
Livingston's co-composer, Ray Evans's wife Wyn was much older than most people realised, having been born in 1900 and died in 2002. She was old enough to be a friend of Charlie Chaplin's family in the 1920s and 1930s, and used to have lunch regularly with Chaplin's mother to keep her company.
This got Will talking about how many old radio and TV shows are now available on CD or DVD for a few dollars, mainly because the costs have already been covered many times over. This set Will off on one of his favorite subjects - why writers get paid so little. I joined in enthusiastically on behalf of journalists. Jeanette looked on as if she were hearing strange creatures from another planet, as well she might on a nurse's salary!

CAUGHT ON THE BREEZE
If you're trying to tame a bronc you're not being leisurely
These things are dangerous, they have salt
You can get some really very good books in Out of the Closet, brand new and smelling nice
I just lucked out because Larry Wilson likes me. No, he hasn't got a crush on me!
One thing I'll say about Ian: he's a great STAGE performer