Comments:
After spending about thirty years in the theatre acting and directing, I woke up one day to realize I loved the theatre but didn't like actors very much. I was even married and divorced TWICE to actresses. Oh, oh, now what? I had been slowly transitioning to Jazz singing, and so I threw myself into music with abandon. It payed off. Working very hard, I developed some "chops" and began to earn some respect from the musicians I've worked with. (Musicians are not always keen on vocalists, for good reason.) I've done a number of jazz festivals including about seven years with the Lewiston Jazz Festival. Along the way, some agent thought I sounded and phrased a bit like Frank Sinatra. I was approached to audition for a traveling Rat Pack group. This was about six years ago. They didn't know I was an actor as well, so I entered in character and in voice. I've been doing "Frank" ever since. I rewrote the script and we do the show much like it was in Vegas with the original Frank, Sammy, and Dean. It pays well, so I was able to use that money to record a jazz cd in Canada last year.They've played cuts on Jazz FM 91 in Toronto, in Montreal, Saratoga, NY and all over Florida. However, in Buffalo I can't get the stations to even listen to it. Needless to say, I don't sing in Buffalo much any more. Just got back from a casino in Edmonton, Alberta with the Rat Pack, then went solo New Year's Eve in Vero Beach, Florida. I usually book out of town any holiday weekend I can get away. Why holidays? In my other life I teach ESL at Bennett High and Performing Arts in the Buffalo School system. Regrets? I've had a few, but then again....Gotta say, this forty year thing is a complete kick in the head. I'm still running like a kid, so I don't get it. Forty years? Let's just see what the next forty bring.