By Katie Ryan
Call him what you will – a crooner, an actor, a songwriter – but don’t pigeonhole him.
A man who dons many hats, Alfie Zappacosta’s creative juices are still bursting even with more than 30 years of entertainment industry experience to his charge.
He’s making his way to the Border City, to share his multi-award winning vocal talent at the Lloydminster Health Foundation Fundraiser Gala on Nov. 6. Performing at a charity fundraiser that will benefit Long Term Care in the community is something Zappacosta said he was proud to be a part of.
“I know I have been to Lloydminster before but it’s been such a long, long time. It’s nice to be invited back, I can promise you that,” he said in a phone call with the Source, while he walked his dog in the Edmonton river valley.
“I find myself more and more being asked to do these kinds of thing. To be a part of this is nothing but wonderful.”
Everyone attending the “Intimate Evening with the Health Foundation” will enjoy a number of Zappacosta’s chart topping singles, “Nothing Can Stand in Your Way,” “When I Fall in Love Again,” “We Should Be Lovers” plus many more.
Zappacosta’s performance at the Gala marks the beginning of a month long tour that will see the Canadian artist traipse across the country, making it back to Edmonton in time for his Jazzy New Years Eve show.
“It’s all about entertaining. I still maintain a pretty rigorous touring schedule, as much as I can do,” he said.
Zappacosta burst on to the music scene in 1979 as the frontman for the five-piece Toronto band, Surrender, years later the singer made his break and released his first self-titled solo effort which garnered him a Juno, “Most Promising Male Vocalist.”
Not confined to recording studios alone, Zappacosta also took his talent to the stage starring in several musical theatre productions.
Zappacosta said he consistently
released a new album almost every two years under his own label, A-Zee Records. He has a new album in the works featuring “completely all original material” slated to drop in the new year.
“I started my own label because the world has changed. Things aren’t what they used to be once upon a time,” he said.
“Now you’ve got Canadian and American Idol people who get everybody to come to them and pick the best of, instead of going out to search people out. There is never any guarantee, I find that these days if you are willing to work for yourself in your own business it’s better.”
Looking back over a career that spans over three decades, Zappacosta doesn’t miss a beat pinpointing the accomplishments he is most proud of.
His contribution of the song, “Overload” to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack stands out for the artist. The song left him accepting two JUNOs, an American Music Award and a mark on pop culture he said.
“To be able to have something like the Dirty Dancing soundtrack do what it did, when nobody expected that it would, was really good in that it put my kids through college,” Zappacosta said.
“It’s something that ends up happening if you work really hard long enough, you win the lottery every now and then.”
In the fall of 2008, Zappacosta joined a contingent of musicians performing and touring Afghanistan in support of the Canadian military.
“The highlight was meeting with the soldiers and getting a chance to speak with them on a personal level about their experiences.”
Grab your chance to see Zappacosta live in Lloyd on Nov.6. For ticket information call 306-820-6161.