When The Sopranos premiered in 1999, few viewers could have predicted that it would go on to become one of the biggest TV shows of all time — or that one of its most unforgettable performances would come from a character nicknamed Junior. Dominic Chianese stood out as Corrado “Junior” Soprano, Tony Soprano’s uncle and, for part of the series, the boss of the DiMeo crime family, earning a Screen Actors Guild Award and several other nominations for his role.
But Chianese turns, who 95 on February 24, 2026, had a long career before he ever turned up on the small screen — one that included time as 1960s folk singer in New York City.
