Jack Lynn
“Dino’s Back – A Tribute to Dean Martin”
“I don’t drink anymore – I just freeze it and eat it like a Popsicle”,
Dean Martin, Sands Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1967.
Dean Martin, the consummate performer. Dino did it all – recording artist, comedian, actor, TV star and night club performer. No one else could put across a romantic, Italian love song like Dino and he is still one of the most beloved singer/crooners of all time. Who can forget the character persona Dean created as the loveable drunk who chased women and always had a devilish twinkle in his eye? Even today, Dino’s memory lives on and there has been a recent revival of his music (some 18 years after his death) with re-released albums, new posthumous duets and of course, the DVD's offered for
sale of his TV show.
Jack Lynn was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut at the time Dean Martin’s career was beginning to “take off”. Jack, born of a Sicilian immigrant mother, was raised in the atmosphere of a typical Italian family of the 1950’s. “There was always lots of love, lots of food and lots of great music”, Jack notes. Walk into Jack’s house at anytime back then and you would hear the Hi-Fi playing all the Italian greats – Sinatra, Lanza, Como, Bennett, Connie Francis and of course, Dean Martin. “Dino was Mom’s favorite singer”, Jack will tell you. “She loved his music and never missed his 10pm Thursday night TV show – in fact, I never missed it either. I developed a love of Dino’s music just as my Mom had and at age 13, started mimicking his voice. As years went on, everyone would tell me how much I sounded like him. Although I went on to have a successful career in banking and would sing Dino tunes just for fun, a part of me always wanted to be up there entertaining folks just like Dean.”
With the urging of friends, family and other area singers, Jack developed his “Dino’s Back – A Tribute to Dean Martin” show. Jack will tell you, “I don’t consider myself an impressionist although people tell me if they close their eyes, it’s like listening to a Dean Martin CD. I really don’t think there could be any greater compliment for me. My goal is to honor and pay tribute to the memory of Dino’s sound and great sense of humor – and maybe have some fun along the way”.
Jack has been doing his tribute to Dino show at various clubs, restaurants and private parties in Connecticut and the Tri-State Area. He recently appeared in a one man show at the Warner Theatre in Torrington, CT, Lincoln Center as a part of a show with Jazz great Monty Alexander and is a part of the annual Frank Sinatra’s "posthumous birthday bash" at Patsy’s in New York City.
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