There Was A Moon Out Last Night, Rembering Nick Santamaria of the Capris

Yesterday afternoon, Nick Santamaria - a devoted husband and father, pretty nice guy, our neighbor and great singer left this world. It was only right that there was a moon out last night - a waning crescent - one of the prettiest moons - I have to think it was for him. You see, Nick was the original lead singer of and a songwriter for, The Capris. Their biggest hit, or at least most memorable song for me, was this one, There's A Moon Out Tonight:



Nick left singing many years ago and became a NY City Police Officer and made a career of it. After retirement from the job, he then then came back to singing. Once again it was as the lead singer of the Capris. They did oldies shows. As you can hear in this video, he had not lost it - his voice was still golden.



Sadly, Nick would not long remain as the lead singer for the Capris. Several years ago now, Nick was diagnosed with mesothelioma. Amazingly enough, even though he had a lung removed, he tried his best to keep at singing. Here is yet another video of him singing: There's A Moon Out Tonight, this one after doctors had removed one of his lungs. In this one, Nick explains what happened to him with the cancer. Then he sings. You can see, it wasn't easy for him to get through it but he did it and he still had it. That was in November 2007.



Soon afterward his singing career came to an end, it was a difficult choice for him to make. Nick's health problems remained, then yesterday, he lost the battle to live. His family and the rest of us lost him and his golden voice but heaven most certainly has gained a voice that is sure to compete with those of the angels.

On a personal note: My family and I will miss him. He was always nice to my wife and children. I am sure they will miss him in their own ways. I'll miss him calling me Greg (over the past 16 or 17 years that we had been his neighbors he almost never got my name right but that was okay), miss the occasional talk about politics or current events or about our gardens or about our kids, miss him out there in the deepest snow with his snowblower cleaning my sidewalk when I least expected it, miss sometimes shoveling for him when he no longer could get it done and my back was willing and able, and I will miss him shaking my fence. I don't think he ever knew I caught him at that, I don't remember ever telling him. He used to complain about my dogs barking at him if they and he were out in our adjoining backyards at the same time. Over the years, I often looked out the side window to see what they were barking at and there was Nick, at least a few times, shaking the fence and teasing the dogs as they just barked away at him and as he talked to them. I am sure he liked them pretty much when they were quiet but I think maybe he had a secret - that he liked them even more when they were barking at singing to him.

Our condolences to his family and loved ones.

All the best,
Glenn B

Couple of New Links Added To The Blog Roll

For your reading pleasure, I just added a couple more blogs to the blog roll, these are both under the new and improved header: Take A Shot With (not at) These Shootist Bloggers

In Jennifer’s Head (http://injennifershead.com/)

Violent Indifference (http://violentindifference.blogspot.com/)

All the best,
Glenn B