By Maryanne Christiano Mistretta
Scotch Plains resident Pat DiNizio, front man of The Smithereens, died recenty, but fans will never forget him. They’ve been sending requests to Scotch Plains town officials to name a street after him.
The idea was spearheaded by Frank Lima, a fan from North Jersey, according to Cindy Sivak, of Sivak Entertainment/Smithereens Special Projects.
Sivak also provided a statement from DiNizio’s band mates Jim Babjak and Dennis Diken: “The Smithereens support and applaud the grassroots effort by our fans to have a street in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, renamed in honor of the late Pat DiNizio, our friend and lead singer of The Smithereens. He was always a proud resident of his hometown and lived there until his passing. Such a tribute will be well deserved.”
Scotch Plains Municipal Manager, Alexander Mirabella said, “We are working on the appropriate way to honor Pat DiNizio in the Township of Scotch Plains, including a ceremonial street sign near his family home. Pat was a favorite son of the Township and a dear friend of mine personally and I miss him. He never missed an opportunity to speak highly of Scotch Plains whenever he was in the world. One of his final performances was in Scotch Plains last summer on the Augustine Green outside of Town Hall. The Township is planning a few surprises to honor Pat, which will be announced in the coming months.”
The Smithereens sold millions of records/CDs of the melodic pop alternative hits like, “A Girl Like You,” “Only a Memory,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” and “Blood and Roses.”
For more information on The Smithereens, visit the official website at: officialsmithereens.com.
(above) Pat DiNizio performing at Duke Island Park, Bridgewater, New Jersey, 2013. (Photo by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta).
Photo by Maryanne Christiano Mistretta
