MUSIC
TURNING BACK THE
CLOCK Bobby Vignapiano brings back the timeless songs of yesterday.
STORY: JAMES COMBS
≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL ≈ DESIGN: MEGAN MERICLE
he room goes dark. As the singer makes his appearance on stage, a spotlight projects a bright beam of light onto him. Simultaneously, batteryoperated candle lights turn on at each of the round tables where men and women wearing tuxedos and dresses smile and laugh. Then, their attention turns to the singer’s beautiful voice. He performs timeless music from simpler times, a blast from the past. Dean Martin’s “Return to Me” and “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.” Frank Sinatra’s
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“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “Nice n’ Easy.” Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “Rags to Riches.” The scene is reminiscent of the lounge shows popular in the 1940s and 1950s at venues such as Copacabana in New York City and various Las Vegas lounges. They were small, intimate venues where spectators would excitedly listen to popular singers and clink their glasses in celebration. On this night in October, though, the performance described above took place at the Seabreeze Recreation Center in The Villages. The singer, Bobby Vignapiano, spent 10 months