It was at Merv Griffin’s 50th birthday party in 1975 that Bob Anderson unveiled a unique talent.
At one point, Griffin began to play the piano, and Anderson joined him to sing. The song was “Misty” made popular by Johnny Mathis.
“All of a sudden, I turned into Johnny Mathis,” said Anderson, who will bring Frank Sinatra and his music to life with his One More For the Road show at 8 p.m. Friday at the Miller Theater.
His voice and mannerisms were all those of the singer and Anderson said that it surprised him as much as it surprised everyone listened. Those gathered at the star-studded soiree took instant notice. Next, he tried “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” as Tony Bennett.
“Robert Goulet was in the back of the room and said ‘can you do me?’” Anderson said. He obliged by singing “If Ever I Would Leave You.”
From there, Anderson became known as a singing impressionist. That type of entertainer was unheard of in the 1970s. Rich Little was a popular impressionist, but he imitated speaking voices. Anderson eventually landed a longtime gig in Las Vegas and was repeatedly named one of Sin City’s favorite performers. He’s also a member of the Las Vegas Entertainers Hall of Fame.
Anderson’s life is a case of being in the right place at the right time and seizing an opportunity when it was presented.
The Vietnam veteran had always loved music. After returning to his native Detroit when his military service was complete, Anderson got a job at The Moon Supper Club at the same time legendary drummer Buddy Rich was performing. He had the opportunity to sing a few numbers with Rich’s orchestra.
“At the end of the week, with the ‘Detroit Free Press’ in the audience, Buddy Rich proclaimed: ‘There are only three singers good enough to sing with my group. They are Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Bob Anderson,’” according to Anderson.
Singer Bobby Darin, who was a friend of Rich’s, also stopped into the supper club and gave Anderson encouragement.
With those two encounters, Anderson decided to leave his hometown and head west. Hollywood was his goal, but a wrong turn put him on the road to Vegas. And in hindsight, Anderson said that wrong turn might not have been so wrong after all.
He packed up his Volkswagen and made the trip. When he arrived in Vegas, he found himself at the Sahara Hotel. Broke and wearing cutoffs and a T-shirt, he went inside for a drink and struck up a conversation with a reporter named Mark Tan who was a friend of Nancy Sinatra.
“She was having a rehearsal for her show,” he said.
Tan asked him if he wanted to see the rehearsal, and he said he would.
The Everly Brothers were the opening act and were warming up when they got into an argument. Nancy Sinatra wasn’t having that and fired them then and there.
Some frantic moments ensued as the singer realized she was going to open in four hours and had no opening act.
Anderson nudged Tan and told him he was a singer. Tan told him to speak up.
Band members gave him the side eye, but Sinatra was desperate and when Anderson opened his mouth to sing, she was sold. She immediately whisked him off to be fitted for a tuxedo. He went onto sing that night and ended up touring with Nancy Sinatra. Four days later, he met Merv Griffin for the first time, appearing on his show.
That chance meeting at the Sahara Hotel changed Anderson’s life forever. And he eventually did meet The Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.
While Anderson had more than one interaction with Sinatra, the one that meant the most to him came when Anderson was performing in Atlantic City and so was Sinatra and Dean Martin. Anderson had heard that Sinatra was planning on seeing Anderson’s show.
When it was finished Anderson joined the two of them.
“Dean Martin said, ‘You do me better than me,’” Anderson said. And as for Ol’ Blue Eyes, he said “This kid’s got a hell of an act.”
Anderson performed his One More For the Road show 250 times at the Palazzo in Las Vegas before actually taking it on the road. To transform into Frank Sinatra, he spends two hours in makeup, and he’s spent years studying Sinatra’s moves, mannerisms and voice. He sings with a 32-piece orchestra.
For tickets, visit millertheateraugusta.com.
