After being asked to join Connie’s company, I arrived back home to tell my parents what had transpired with Don Stirling that afternoon. I told them that I met Connie Francis and she liked my singing. I told them she asked me if I were free as a singer, performer and if I had a manager or agent. Connie wanted my parents to meet with her professional manager, George Scheck, to discuss my future.
Both of my parents got very excited at the thought. After all the years of my father’s playing piano in night clubs, bars, weddings and other affairs, he thought that I might be able to achieve the dream which all of us had in our own minds. Especially, because my dad had written many songs and was a real talent for over 30 years at that time.
They both joined me going to New York City and we arrived at Connie’s office in the morning as we all sat down with Mr. Scheck in his office. Scheck started out by saying, “According to Connie, your son is going to earn your family a lot of money. In fact with Connie on your side, he may become a super-star, “Someday SOON!”
WOW was I excited and my parents who seemed to always be skeptical, were excited as well. This was due to the famous name, “Connie Francis”!
Mr. Scheck sent me the studio of James J. Kreigsman, who was the most renown professional photographer to the stars in those days. He photographed such superstars as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Connie Francis plus hundreds of others who were famous, world-wide. I had a number of photo shots taken, but only two have seemed to survive through these past sixty years since 1960.
This office meeting was what “dreams are made of”. My family arrived back home, it seemed, by, “magic carpet”. We all were so absolutely excited, I think we all went to sleep early that evening. My sister who was about 17 at that time was in her room, studying. She got excited herself when she was told the results of that office meeting.
There is no doubt that this was the most exciting day of my life up to that time. But, believe me, there was much more to come, MUCH MORE …. stay tuned to catch, “My Big Break” (Part #3)
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