Dirty Dancing, Danger Bay and the Edmonton stage: Zappacosta on his musical odyssey

AlfieZappacosta may be the only shark tamer in the city of Edmonton.

Zappacostalent his distinctive baritone voice to some big hits of the 1980s, but now leads a quiet life in Edmonton's Crestwood neighbourhood. There, he enjoys long walks in the river valley and plenty of family time, out of the limelight.

Hemay have lost his status as a household name, but in the 1980s,Zappacostawas at the top of his game.

The Italian-born singer was once the king of the Canadian pop rock charts, with a catalogue of hitslikeWe Should be Lovers and Nothing Can Stand In Your Way.

After rising to fame with his band Surrender, he hit the big time in 1987, when his original song Overload wasfeatured in the multi-platinum soundtrack for the Patrick Swayze classic, Dirty Dancing.

The following year, he was awarded JUNO awards for Album of The Yearand Most Promising Artist,an American Music Award for Most Popular Album of The Year and named the Canadian Publishers Music Association's Best Rock Star.

At the pinnacle of his career, Walt Disney'sDanger BaybroughtZappacostaan episode written specifically for him titledRock Star.Of all his accolades, Zappacostaremembers that episode from the Canadian TV serieswith a particular fondness.

"It's not a lot of people that can say, I saved a baby shark," Zappacosta said with a laugh during a special live broadcast of Edmonton AMlast week at CafBlackbird in Crestwood.

"I saved a baby shark because of some clowns sort of tripping over some wires," he said.

"People just thought that I could do just about anything, but I had never done anything like that in my life as far as my acting."

Zappacosta said he struggled to stay in character during his scenes in the wholesome Canadian television hitbecause his fellow actor, a little girl who named Ocean who played the leading role, was not there for the taping of his lines.

The director of the show was used as a stand-in, much to Zappacosta's amusement.

"Ocean was the star, but I wouldn't be talking to her," he said, shaking histousled silver hair.

"Iwas talking to the director. He was a wonderful guy but he looked like a little bit of a scarecrowwith big buck teeth, so I had a really hard time with the camera cutting back and forth."

Zappacostahas been based in Edmonton for more than two decades, but hit the road again earlier this year to promote a new live record.

'Never looked back'

Before moving to Alberta, Zappacostahad been working inToronto's theatre scene, playing the lead in Jesus Christ Superstar and Che Guevara in Evita.Then, much to his chagrin, producers cast him in a new productionof Jesus Christ Superstar in Edmonton.

"I promised that I would never do another play again or another Danger Bay episode ... I didn't think I could handle the stress anymore, but they kept upping the money," Zappacosta said. "I was very seriously not going to do it and they just kept upping it.And finally, my wife said, 'You're doing the damn thing.'

So he came to Edmonton and fell in love with the city.He and his wife bought a house andsettled in with their young son and daughter.

"We came out here and never looked back," he said."It's been wonderful."

Zappacosta has moved on from pop-rocktosmooth jazz, butstill performs some ofhis old songs.

After promoting his new album No Avoiding Clichswith a cross-Canada tour, he came backto perform regularly at his favourite Edmonton venues, like Blackbird Caf. He's set to perform there this month.

The cafis just a few blocks from his house, and performing there during the holidays has becomebecome atradition for the singer.

The limelight has dimmed and the crowds are smaller, buthe'll never quit loving music.

"I give everybody sheets of carols, and get an extra microphone, do some of my tunes, run out and get everybody singing my songs along with me," he said of his upcoming Christmas shows Dc. 21 and 22.

"It's great, because you get people that are completely tone-deaf and those are the people that I keep the microphone on as a long as possible, not to embarrass them or anything.

"Everybody has a really great time."