HE is the sole survivor of the Rat Pack era which included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin.

Legendary American crooner Buddy Greco will be returning to The Concorde at Eastleigh on October 3 to headline the Stoneham Lane club’s international jazz night.

Sharing the bill with Buddy will be his singer wife Lezlie Anders with her salute to award-winning Peggy Lee.

Buddy, pictured, started playing piano when he was four and was a major part of that big band swing era which made the Vegas strip so famous.

He has recorded 60 albums and 100 singles as well as scooping a glittering array of awards.

Buddy is 85 and says: “My father lived until he was 98 and so there is quite a bit of longevity in my family. After all age is just a number.”

For more than 60 years he has been working on the UK circuit.

His love for Britain has led to him putting his roots down here. He and Lezlie now live at Westcliff-on-Sea, a suburb of Southend-on-Sea.

‘One of the greatest venues’ He is looking forward to travelling along the south coast to play at The Concorde. He heaped praise on the Stoneham Lane club after making his debut there more than two years ago, calling it “one of the greatest venues I have worked at”.

Praise indeed from the star that has played at every major concert hall and club in the world.

Buddy, who began his career as a jazz pianist, was discovered by the great band leader Benny Goodman before becoming one of America’s most popular recording artistes.

His string of hits include The Lady is a Tramp, Oh Look At Her and Ain’t She Pretty.

He has the rare distinction of being chosen by Frank Sinatra to record for Ol Blue Eye’s prestigious Reprise Record Company.

Buddy says: “Frank Sinatra was my friend for 47 years.

We were both from poor parents and we hit it off straight away.

“Sinatra was a very generous and kind man. He made it possible for people like me, Jack Jones and Michael Buble and all those big band singers to make a living.”