LAST WEEK was one of the most emotional weeks in Jimmy Borges‘ life. On May 31 he made his biggest return to the stage since recovering from life-threatening liver cancer surgery July 18 by singing Frank Sinatra‘s hits with Matt Catingub and the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra before a near-capacity crowd of 1,800 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. The next day, he celebrated his 77th birthday. Then, on Saturday, he was surprised by a Prince Court birthday party arranged by his dear wife, Vicki, and his daughter Steffanie Juergenson. Perhaps Jimmy summed it up best at the party: "I didn’t know I was going to have a 77th birthday. To be here and sharing this with you is the beginning of my second life." That prompted dean of Hawaii sportscasters Jim Leahey to come over from two tables away, where his ohana was celebrating his wife Toni‘s birthday, to congratulate the crooner and add, "Everyone agrees that it is great to be Portuguese." The remark about his and Jimmy’s heritage had the people at both tables laughing. …
Jimmy’s pops concert was a winner and earned him standing ovations. He handled Sinatra’s hits in fine style, and the musicians were right on target in pumping out Ol’ Blue Eyes’ swinging and sentimental arrangements. The fine rhythm section was made up of Matt at the Steinway, bassist Steve Jones, guitarist Zanuck Lindsey and drummer Darryl Pellegrini. Music master Matt, besides leading the band and playing piano, sang and played sax. He arranged four of Jimmy’s songs and all of the numbers for opening act Anita Hall. Anita is an outstanding singer, and although she is taking care of her dad in Indianapolis more than singing nowadays, there is no rust on her pipes. She sounded as good as ever. But I’m not as sold on her new hairdo as I am on her voice. It was sort of a mohawk. …
During the show, Jimmy intro’d someone who is small in stature but a giant in his eyes, surgeon Ryan Takamori, and thanked him for saving his life. The modest doc said it was Jimmy’s will that pulled him through. … When Jimmy replaced the word "Chicago" with "Kalihi," his boyhood home, in singing "My Kind of Town," former Kalihi girl Cha Thompson whooped and raised both arms skyward as if her Farrington High football team had scored a touchdown. Cha was a song leader at the Kalihi school. … Before the night was over, Steffanie, Carolyn Berry and Raiatea Helm wheeled out a huge birthday cake onstage. … Gov. Neil Abercrombie came backstage to congratulate Jimmy after the concert. Back in the late 1970s and ’80s, a young Abercrombie would join Jimmy at Trappers to sing and play harmonica. …
The Saturday birthday luncheon at the Prince Hotel featured a wide variety of delicious food for both locals and tourists. People who sang "Happy Birthday" to Jimmy, besides his wife and daughter, included his son-in-law Randy Juergenson, Anita, Tom and Mi Kosasa, Carole Kai and Eddie Onouye, Shari Lynn and Michael Acebedo, Ginny Tiu, Drea Kia, Michi Moore, and Bob Frost and Lynn Barefoot. Jimmy and Shari sang a duet of "I’ve Got You Under My Skin." Jimmy and Anita stepped over to the Leahey table and sang "Happy Birthday" to Toni. Guests at their table included sportscaster son Kanoa Leahey, daughter Katy Leahey, granddaughter Malia Meza and Tony and Audrey Takitani and their children Ashley and John. It was quite a day. …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
