Mike Danton, right, a 75-year-old singer and musician, beat out 12 other contestants, ranging in age from 65 to 91, to become the winner of the fourth annual Chartwell Senior Housing’s Senior Star competition with his rendition of Fly Me to the Moon. (video)
A native of Mumbai, India, Danton plays seven instruments and has been performing in senior residences since he retired as a mechanical engineer.
He now has a chance to be one of 10 competitors invited to compete in the Senior Star national final – regional competitions were held the same day across the country – to be held in October.
Placing second was Gene Manchester, 65, a stroke survivor originally from Omaha, Neb., who sang Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love, while third place went to Al Fitleberg, who sang a medley from Fiddler on the Roof.
Fitleberg, who is “73 going on 36” moved to Toronto from Montreal five years ago to be near his family.
“I’ve been singing since I was five years old, and I play the saxophone and drums. My music keeps me young. Sometimes I wake up with a back ache or a headache, but when I sit down with my music, nothing hurts.”
Sholom Wargon, a Canadian Jewish News advertising representative, and a judge at the competition said that “the performers are a true inspiration. As a society, we’ve become consumed by the notion of turning back the clock. But in trying to do so, we are, in effect, clock-watching our lives.
“These people are way too busy making music to watch a clock. So should we be.”
One of the contestants performing a number from Don Quixote:
