Tuesday, December 10, 2024
When Eddie Sessa, of Franklin Square, self-recorded “Just A Gigolo” on the Atlantic City boardwalk in the 1980s, he never thought he would be a famous singer 40 years later.
Sessa is known for singing Frank Sinatra songs at restaurants, private clubs and private events throughout New York and Florida. His new show, “Sinatra and My Impossible Dream,” brings his own story into the mix.
Sessa said he didn’t have confidence growing up. He was very shy and quiet. He didn’t have much support from his friends and family with his interest in music.
“I grew up in a very strict, dysfunctional Italian-American family,” Sessa said. “I was told all the time as a kid that kids should be seen and not heard.”
He would listen to music all the time in his room.
“It was always in my heart,” Sessa said.
In high school, Sessa was Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and graduated with the rank of first lieutenant from La Salle Military Academy. He cares deeply about veterans and respects what they’ve done. So, he made sure that veterans from Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, Long Island Cares, Beacon House and the Long Island State Veterans Home received free tickets to his new show.
Charles Kurtzke, who served in the Vietnam War and attended Sessa’s show on Oct. 13 at Bay Way Arts Center in East Islip, believes music sometimes helps with the trauma of war.
The show was sponsored by Leonard’s Palazzo, The Dasco Group, All Island Transportation and Tri-State Integrated Solutions.
“I probably could have filled the whole place with vets, there were so many who wanted to sponsor them,” Sessa said.
Sessa’s career didn’t take off until he was in his 50s, and it really got going when he turned 60. In the 2000s he was at a restaurant in Florida with some friends who asked the owner to let him sing. The owner loved it, and offered him a slot one night a week — that turned into two nights per week.
Then, a manager from Diamond Resorts International offered him one, and then two, nights per week at their flagship resort.
In 2011, after moving back to New York, he landed a show at Eisenhower Park. He played a Sinatra tribute with a 20-piece band to 5,000 people. He considers it one of the proudest moments in his life.
“I always thought people were just saying nice things to me because they were friends,” Sessa said. “Then about six years ago, I ran into some people who are big in the industry and they were praising me. I started saying maybe I’m better than I think.”
When he married his second wife he moved to Franklin Square.
“
I like Franklin Square,” Sessa said. “There’s a lot of people I knew but I didn’t know were from Franklin Square and own businesses here. It’s a very family-oriented area.”
For the last few years, he’s played the Polo Lounge in Westbury on Thursdays and Fridays. He mixes his Sinatra-style music with oldies and Elvis songs.
Lawrence Zaino, who frequents the Polo Lounge on Fridays, praises Sessa.
“In between songs or when he’s taking a break he goes around and says hello to everybody,” Zaino said. “Sometimes when there’s a group, a special event, he goes over and asks them if they want a special song. He personalizes things.”
Sessa’s favorite songs to perform are “torch” songs. He doesn’t do them often because he doesn’t think it suits the audience.
“Songs that go in and rip your heart out,” Sessa said. “Sad songs, powerful songs.”
Sessa has also performed at shows in Florida to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease.
“People who are totally out of it, unresponsive, respond to music,” Sessa said. “I used to love doing that — getting people to respond to the music.”
His next goal is to bring the new show to Las Vegas, a lifelong dream. He’s been working on making the right connections to make it happen for the last few years.
Sessa’s favorite thing to do is sing at birthday parties for seniors in their 90s and 100s.
“What I like most about what I do is making people happy,” Sessa said. “I believe it is my calling. And it eventually happened for a reason.”
