HOBOKEN AND BEYOND — Jimmy Roselli, a crooner from Hoboken and a rival of the late Frank Sinatra, died at 85 Thursday from heart problems, according to published reports.
Growing up, Sinatra and Roselli lived only five houses away from each other in Hoboken.
Roselli was known for his renditions of songs from Naples. His biggest hits occurred in the mid 1960s: “There Must Be A Way” and “Mala Femmena.”
Inspired by his grandfather’s love of music, young Jimmy crooned on weekends at a Hoboken hotel and then was discovered at 13 on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour, where Frank Sinatra also got a start.
Some news reports said that Roselli never achieved Sinatra’s success because he did not try hard enough to further his career by appearing on TV and in movies.
He was living in Venice Beach, Fla. when he passed away.
Reports say that a funeral mass will be held this Tuesday, July 5 in Hoboken at St. Ann’s Church.