THERE'S a Frank Sinatra Valentine's concert at Huddersfield Town Hall on Saturday, February 15.
To be there in person will be beyond the comeback king himself, so standing in will be Oldham-born sound-alike Laurie Ash.

Many good judges have testified to the uncanny and natural way in which Laurie's voice parallels that of Ol' Blue Eyes and when he sang for soccer manager Ron Atkinson's 60th Birthday, Big Ron insisted that someone had put a Sinatra record on.

Laurie began singing in public at the age of 12, by 16 he was already a devotee of big band music and Sinatra successfully auditioned for the Squadronaires Orchestra under Ronnie Aldridge.

But mum and dad said "no" so his career progressed instead via Manchester night-clubs, helping to set up the Satin Brass Orchestra and Singers, session singing, recording and voice-overs.

It was a TV advert that brought his uncanny vocal similarity to the great Francis Albert to wider public notice. Laurie commissioned arrangers to write re-creations of the great Sinatra recordings and in 1993 launched his first tribute show.

Hear Laurie sing his way through two dozen of the Sinatra immortals, finishing - of course - on My Way.
TONY POGSON