Dear Editor:
Thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s Sinatra Idol Contest so special. What a great night it was. Thirteen singers competed for the title of Best Sinatra Style Singer.
David J. Arellano of Staten Island, who has competed for the last three years, brought home the trophy for 1st place. Greg Myers won 2nd place, Rory Aylward came in 3rd, and Alex Grigato, who came all the way from Italy, came in 4th place. We also gave two honorable mentions to Russ Martone and Steve Kazlauskas. Thanks to all of the singers who competed for sharing their talent with us.
Special thanks to our main sponsor Muller Insurance for their support every year. They are true Sinatra lovers. Thanks also to all of the Hoboken businesses who donated prizes, including: Arthur’s Tavern, Beau Brunello, Court Street, Dino & Harry’s, Empire Coffee & Tea, Garden Wines & Liquor, Grimaldi’s Brick Oven Pizza, Leo’s Grandevous, Madison Bar & Grill, The Melting Pot, The Quays, The Smoke Shop, Sparrows Wines & Liquor, Stans Sports Center, 340 Grill and Tutta Pasta.
Their generosity is very appreciated.
And what would a contest be without judges? There were so many wonderful performances that night. Theirs was not an easy job, and we thank them for their efforts. We were honored to have one of Sinatra’s cousins among them this year, Dale Monaco of Jersey City, as well as Hoboken City Clerk Jimmy Farina, Glenn Morrow of Bar None Records, and business owners and summer event sponsors Jim Kocis of The Burgiss Group and Marie Wall of The Shannon.
Thank you to Stevens Institute of Technology, especially Hank Dobbelar, Dean Ken Nilsen, and all of the students who volunteered. They continually help us with our events every year and their support is very much appreciated.
And last but not least, thank you to all of the Sinatra fans who attended, enjoyed the music, and cheered the winners on to victory. For information about other free summer events call 201-420-2207 or visit online at www.hobokennj.org.
Thank you,
Mayor Dawn Zimmer
Leo Pellegrini, Director of Human Services
Geri Fallo, Coordinator of Cultural Affairs