Hoboken's Next Top Sinatra

Hoboken's Frank Sinatra contest will be held tonight in—where else—Sinatra Park. Current idol Eric DeLauro will also be there. 

Host and MC, Gary "SimpSinatra" Simpson, will lead the evening. 

If it rains, the contest will be held the tomorrow (Friday).

Below are short bios from some of the contestants, sent to Patch by the City's Director of Cultural Affairs Geri Fallo. 

• Mitch Maglio, Staten Island, N.Y.; a senior manager of project management and operational analysis for Choice Logistics; started singing Sinatra in college; worked his way by hosting regular talent nights and singing in between acts.

• Greg Myers, Plainfield, N.J.; management consultant; as a kid played piano and trombone and loved the standards, auditioned for a community theater play as an adult and only singing parts were left, had to sing on the spot and they loved his voice (got the part). After that, got the singing bug and karaoke made it easy.

• Rory Aylward, Astoria, N.Y.; Army Reservist who just returned from a deployment to Afghanistan. On the civilian side, works in the film industry; Sinatra fan since high school, but didn't start singing until they had karaoke at the Officer's Club when on temporary duty in North Dakota in the summer of 1995.

• David J. Arellano, Staten Island, New York; Retired NYPD detective after 20 years service, singing for over 30 years, introduced to Sinatra as a young child by my mother who adored him. After I left the police force, I started my own music business performing in Staten Island and the 5 boros. Doing this in memory of my mother.
• James Dempsey from Bristow Virginia; Operations manager of Digital Graphic/Sign facility. Has a Web page at: www.myspace.com/jazzsinger2u  Growing up in Las Vegas offered wonderful memories during the '70s from watching members from the "Rat Pack," Elvis and many others perform. Listening to my parents play Frank Sinatra's music as well as others provided wonderful and loving memories and a base to sing those songs. I started singing in high school choir and then later became a harmonist/percussionist during the '80s. I left the music industry and raised a family during the '90s until 2006.

For more info call the Hoboken Cultural Affairs Office at 201-420-2207.