Swingin' Radio KMBY 

David Marzetti - Host of Sundays with Sinatra, KMBY Radio - shares a story!

Host David Marzetti of KMBY Radio - Sundays With Sinatra at Old Fisherman's Wharf

David with comedian Tom Dreesen at Pebble Beach Golf Tournament

David's autograph photo of Frank Sinatra 

Growing up in Canton Ohio, while all my friends listened to the Rolling Stones and the Beatles... my favorite singers were Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. I have been a singer all my life and when people ask me where I learned to sing...I always tell them the "School of Frank Sinatra". Not that I try to sound like him....I don't. But, there are so many little layers of things that he does when he sings and I learned from those layers. 

Fast forward to 1989. I was fortunate enough to get access to a rare rehearsal that Frank was doing for his performance at the Bally Grand Amphitheater in Atlantic City, NJ. I spent the afternoon ON the stage with a 30-piece orchestra watching Frank and his conductor Frank Jr. work out a few things with the charts. After rehearsal...they asked if I'd like to go to Franks dressing room and hang out a bit, which...of course...I did! Inside the dressing room Frank asked if I wanted to sit with him and watch a College Football game that was on TV. I think it was Oklahoma. I still remember being in total SPACE sitting there with my idol. My head was spinning. I said very little and only answered to some comments that Frank made about the game. It was pretty much a blur. I was probably there about 30 minutes and then the person I was with said we needed to go. I was still in shock the rest of the day. 

That evening I was lucky enough to stand ON STAGE in the wings to watch Frank's concert with Tony Bennett. As Frank would come off the stage I would open the curtain for him and he'd wait backstage while Tony came on stage from the other side and sang. Then, Tony would exit the other side of the stage and Frank would go back out, and on and on as they took turns. It was a thrill to be there. Opening the curtain for Frank as he'd enter and exit the stage during his show. As he was walking off the stage towards me at the end of "One for my Baby and One more for the Road" I was ready with the curtain and it was only him and the piano and a white spotlight following him as he got closer to his exit smoking a cigarette. Right in front of me he put it on the floor and smashed it out with his foot. For the rest of the evening, I looked down at the cigarette butt. Wondering if I should pick it up. I didn't. 

Before his last song I told him how wonderful it was to spend some time with him that day and that he was my IDOL. He was very kind and shook my hand. He went back out and did NY NY to a roaring crowd....walked over to the side, I opened the curtain for him and he went out the side door to a limousine and was gone.
Whenever I hear a Sinatra song, or play one on the radio, I always think of that special day and the time I was able to spend with him. I was so lucky. Sinatra fans love to hear that story, and I love telling it.

Now, every Sunday morning for 6 hours I can relive that experience by playing my "Idol" on the radio on 1240am/95.9fm KMBY in Monterey, CA. The show "Sundays with Sinatra" is a big hit, and I am proud to be able to offer it. The show is 6am-NOON on the West Coast, and is easily heard on-line or via the free mobile app. anywhere in the world. The LAST 2 HOURS of the show are LIVE via remote from Table #17 at Fishermans Grotto Restaurant on Old Fishermans Wharf! It's a lot of fun to be there every Sunday morning and lots of people stop by the show. We play Frank and his friends...like Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Steve and Eydie, Jerry Vale, Nat KING Cole, etc.

Thank you Karen.....
My best,

David