Bobby Vinton gave a virtuoso performance Tuesday night in the Savannah Center, thoroughly entertaining a big crowd with music, comedy and a little polka tossed in for good measure.
For one Villages’ couple, however, Vinton turned the evening into a memorable, special night. Mike and Joan Allen of the Village of Bonita came to celebrate their 47th wedding anniversary. What they didn’t expect was Bobby Vinton walking halfway down the aisle of the first floor to get next to them and sing “The Anniversary Waltz.”
Vinton asked the couple to get out of their seats and stand in the isle as he sang the tune. “I still can’t believe it,” Mike Allen said after the show. “I was afraid when he gave me the microphone and asked me to sing-a-long. Boy, it was fun and he is a great entertainer.”
“It was such a surprise; we didn’t even buy a ticket, we got the seats as an anniversary present,” Joan Allen said. “Tonight we’ve been married 47 years. We used to listen to Bobby Vinton records in high school. Now he comes up and sings to us. Unbelievable.”
Vinton, who performs again Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Savannah Center, is a master entertainer. He knows how to work a crowd, sell a song and when necessary, kick out the jams on stage. This guy can do it all, belting out everything from the blues to Broadway to polkas to rock.
But that’s not all.
Vinton wailed on a saxophone, and played the piano, trumpet and clarinet. He also found time to dance, tell stories and hobnob with his fans. Midway through the concert, Vinton left the stage and spent about 15 minutes running around the Savannah Center singing, signing autographs and just talking to people in their seats. The concert sort of turned into a Polish love-in.
All because Bobby Vinton at 79 shows no signs of slowing down. The voice may not be as young as it was, but the spirit is still rocking.
“I’ve reached the point where I’m going to quit lying about my age and brag about it,” Vinton cracked. Someone in the audience yelled, “It’s OK Bobby, you’re in The Villages, we’re all old.”
Vinton had plenty of help on stage with a nine-piece band, led by his son Robbie Vinton, who played guitar. Bobby’s daughter, Hannah, provided harmony, sang some country numbers and teamed on duets with her father. The highlight came when Vinton and his daughter combined on a powerful and moving medley from “Phantom of the Opera.”
The veteran performer also sang with his son Robbie, on “You’ve Gotta Have Heart.” Dad, also known as “The Polish Prince,” was pleased with the kid’s effort. “Robbie, if you play your cards right, you could be the Polish Prince Junior,” he said.
The fans wanted to hear the songs that made him famous and Vinton didn’t disappoint. The favorites included, “Blue on Blue,” “Roses Are Red,” “There I’ve Said It Again” and “Mr. Lonely.”
Vinton also offered everything from a take on Elvis’ “Hound Dog” to Johnny Mathis’ “Chances Are” and Bobby Darin’s “Splish Splash.” He also directed the orchestra and played various instruments in a big band medley that included Glenn Miller’s “Pennsylvania 6-5000.”
Finally, near the end of the show, Vinton sang his classic, “Blue Velvet,” and for a few fleeting moments it was 1963 all over again. Then came the last song, “My Melody of Love,” and Vinton had the audience clapping, and singing along in Polish before they gave the singer a standing ovation.
Watching Bobby Vinton perform is like attending a master class in entertainment. He doesn’t just sing old hits; he connects with an audience at a personal level. Vinton likes to say he’s just a Polish kid from Canonsburg, Pa. who got lucky and was blessed. But Vintondisplayed a lot more than that during his show.
To the audience, he is the star who seems like an average guy. Just watching him talk and interact with fans, he seemed just as comfortable and happy with them, as he was in the spotlight.
“The thing about Bobby is that he never forgot where he came from,” said John Cypher, who attended the show with his wife Sally. The Cyphers lived in McMurray, Pa., just outside of Canonsburg and knew Vinton’s family. “We see him whenever we can, because we love the old songs,” said Sally Cypher, who now lives with her husband in The Village of Winifred.
“Besides,” her husband added, “we love to Polka.”
