HOBOKEN – Gabriel Russo, 60, of Dahlonega, Ga., who remembers spending summers visiting with his grandparents on Park Avenue in Hoboken as a child, was crowned winner of the eighth annual Sinatra Idol Contest on Thursday, June 12 at the DeBaun Auditorium at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
Russo won in a sing-off over Charles Stayduhar Jr. of Pittsburgh, Pa., after the two had tied following judges’ voting. Russo’s rendition of “Come Fly with Me” clinched the victory for him.
Thirteen others competed, including the contest’s first ever woman entrant. In addition to Georgia, the performers hailed from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Florida.
Contestants representing Hudson County were Humphrey Uddoh of Jersey City and Joe Vozzella of Bayonne.
Guttenberg’s Mario Cruz, last year’s winner, began the evening with a performance and passed the trophy on to the 2014 winner. – Joseph Passantino
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