A VEGAS legend who also lived in Westcliff has died at the age of 90.

Rat Pack star Buddy Greco died at his home in Las Vegas yesterday.

Philadelphia-born Buddy whose hits included the Lady is a Tramp, Around the World and Mr Lonely, was originally pianist and singer for the famous Benny Goodman, but went on to gain worldwide popularity with his hip swinging style, which meant that he was an ideal recruit for Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack pals at the Sands in Vegas during the Sixties.

He had a long association with Essex, which went back to the Seventies when he was a regular headliner at the then Talk of The Town nightlcub in London. He lived for four years in an apartment in Palmeira Avenue, Westcliff with his fifth wife Lezlie, from 2010 until his return to Las Vegas in 2014.

During this time he formed a lasting friendship with Basildon-based performer and concert promoter David Alacey. Mr Alacey, who had been a fan of Buddy’s since the age of 16, when his parents took him to see Greco with his Big Band in concert at the Cliffs Pavilion in 1989, went on to manage and promote his hero during his stay in England.

Mr Alacey said: “This is the stuff of which dreams are made. How could I possibly know as a kid when watching this cool guy on stage in Southend that years later he would play such an important part in my career and life.

“Our friendship grew so strong that he became my eldest daughter Liza’s godfather and what an honour that was. She is only five now but asks me about Buddy regularly.

“I tell her that he has given her a great gift as later in life she will be able to tell people that her godfather was a friend of legends such as Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe and that most importantly her godfather was a legend himself.”

Mr Alacey made sure the star had a good send-off from Southend. He said: “In 2014, just before he returned to Vegas, I organised a big celebration for Buddy at my friend John Cross’s beautiful Boatyard Restaurant in Leigh. It was an amazing night in which stars such as Kenny Lynch, Michelle Collins and Paul Young saluted an entertainer they had so much respect for.

“Before he left he asked me to record a duet of the Sinatra classic One For My Baby with him. The recording was released by Acrobat Records and will always be the highlight of my career. I knew that Buddy had been in poor health in recent years, but we stayed in contact.

“I would always say that I had dates waiting for him, but I think we both knew by that time that they would sadly never happen. Buddy was an amazing man and in many ways the last of his generation, I have so much to thank him for.”