Poster for “Frank Sinatra & Friends” event Oct. 18
By Marcia E. Gawecki
In his 40s, Scott Foster looks like a young Frank Sinatra. He’s got the same steel blue eyes, similar facial features, a slight build and naturally, he was wearing a fedora. We were talking outside Cafe Aroma during the 18th Annual “Art & Wine Walk” in Idyllwild on Saturday, Oct. 12.
“I don’t really look like him,” Foster said with a big smile. “It must be the hat.”
Like Sinatra, Foster grew up in Hoboken, New Jersey, and used to sing at a piano bar, while attending art school.
“There was an old piano player there, who would let you sing a few songs,” Fisher recalled. “As long as you had some chops.”
Then Foster sang a few bars of “Send me to the Moon,” in pitch-perfect Sinatra.
Foster will be performing from 7-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18 at Cafe Aroma. The show, “Sinatra & Friends” refers to some of Sinatra-era singers like Neil Diamond.
Foster used to get in trouble in art school for impersonating singers like Sinatra and Diamond.
“My teachers would tell me not to sing exactly like them,” Foster said. “They wanted to hear my voice.”
Although Foster sings with other contemporary bands, he likes impersonating Sinatra’s voice.
“I sing like the older Frank,” Foster explains. “He wouldn’t always hit every note, but would go back and hit it and be right on!”
Foster admits to “channeling” Sinatra when he sings.
“When I’m in a tuxedo and singing from Frank’s songbook, I don’t feel right unless I have a glass of whiskey in my hand,” Foster said.
Foster is not a fanatic who knows every detail of the crooner’s life. But he’s studied his voice enough and knows a little bit about his history, namely that he died in Palm Springs.
“It’s just an hour away, but I haven’t been there yet,” he admits. He hasn’t performed his “Sinatra and Friends” gig in Palm Springs, but isn’t ruling it out.
He’s just taking it one step at a time.
Foster gets great enjoyment when people come up to him afterwards and say, “You sing better than Sinatra!”
Then I showed him my Frank Sinatra banner hanging outside the Acorn Gallery, and he mugged for pictures.
Frank Sinatra & Friends event with Gawecki art banner
Tickets to “Sinatra and Friends” for the Oct. 18 show are still available. Call Cafe Aroma at (951) 659-5212. The restaurant is located at 54750 N. Circle Drive in Idyllwild.
Copyright Marcia Gawecki Art 2013. All rights reserved.
