Rat Packing

"This is me doing a show about my friends and my father's friends, so it's a labor of love." — Sandy Hackett

PAUL IS in Mason City being a trombone guy playing in Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show. It's the second night of two shows in Iowa. Last night they played Council Bluffs.

Here's the dish: Sandy Hackett is Buddy Hackett's son, and he can sound just like his dad when he wants to. Buddy was friends with all the original Rat Pack guys, and Sandy grew up a few houses away from Joey Bishop. This is what Sandy has to say about his dad and the genesis of the show.

"Not only was he my father, he was my best friend. He was also friends with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis and Dean Martin and Joey Bishop, who lived up the street. He was Uncle Joey. This isn't me going out and doing research about strangers; this is me doing a show about my friends and my father's friends, so it's a labor of love."

Paul has played with and for a number of big names including Red Skelton, Paul Anka, Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, Frankie Valli and Wayne Newton, so he gets to know these entertainers as people

The great thing about this show is that all the people in it are genuinely nice. 

Sandy plays Joey Bishop and is stand-up funny. Sandy's wife, Lisa Dawn Miller, is also in the cast playing Ava Gardner, and she has a Broadway calibre voice. In another — I'd say six degrees of separation, except it's just one degree — Lisa's dad was the late Ron Miller. 

That name may not ring a bell with you, but I guarantee the songs he wrote will. Ron was discovered in the early 1960's in Chicago by Motown's Berry Gordy Jr. and Mickey Stevenson. Ron went on to write such big hits as For Once in My Life, Touch Me in the Morning, Heaven Help Us All, A Place in the Sun, Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday, I’ve Never Been to Me and Someday at Christmas. 

Paul says that all the arrangements are first-rate, which makes it a fun show to play. The Des Moines Big Band supplied two trombones, two trumpets, two saxes, keyboard and bass. The musical director for the show who is also the drummer seemed to like our local boys, and may hire them to do five nights in Kansas City in May. Fingers crossed.

I've attached a documentary about Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show that Sandy and his wife, Lisa made. It's 40 minutes long so settle in if you want to watch it. About half way through there's a boy, Oliver Richman, who performs. He's Lisa's son, and this kid can definitely sing! 

Here are two upcoming dates on their tour:


October 17, 2013
Midland Theater
Newark, OH

October 19
The Orpheum Theater
Galesburg, IL