Phil Orsi

Orsi still occasionally performs locally in the Chicago area with his band at music festivals, vintage automobile shows and village parks in the summertime and local halls and bowling alleys in the winter time. Since 2014, Orsi has annually in a senior competition to benefit deserving college students in the form of scholarships generated by audience contributions. The Orland Township Senior American Idol competition held annually in May of each year has provided charitable monies for college-bound students. He has finished in the top three finalists twice in these events. Friends and families of the competitors have a good time with the music and a good meal at the same time. The 2017 Orland Township Senior American Idol competition was held at Giorgio's Banquet Hall in Orland Park on Thursday evening May 4. Phil performed the songs "More" in the first round.. "She's a Lady" in the second round.. and finally "Feeling Good" in the third round. Phil Orsi became the 2018 Senior American Idol winner in early May 2018.The Orland Township Senior American Idol competition was held Thursday, May 3, 2018, at Georgios Banquets in Orland Hills.

The band's single "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)" was listed as one of Billboard's "Spotlights" in August 1966. The following year, the group recorded a Larry Nestor song "Loving on Borrowed Time" for the Wise World Record label, that Orsi founded with Otis Clay. The single became a Northern Soul favorite in British dance clubs. Orsi met band manager and booking agent Carl Bonafede at the Vogue Ballroom in Chicago when Bonafede was first managing the Fabulous Centuries whose band members included Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna.

Orsi started up his band Phil Orsi & The Little Kings in 1962. The original line-up consisted of John Jackson on horns, Clark Dufay on lead guitar, Steve Hamilton on drums and himself on bass guitar. They played many clubs, bars and halls in Chicago area and neighboring states. They recorded a number of singles on local Chicago labels such as USA Records. The name of the band came from the comic strip "The Little King" created by Otto Soglow. The band wore patches of the character on their band jackets.

Orsi was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His passion for music began with the gift of a small radio from his grandmother. Orsi's father owned an Italian food and liquor store on 26th and Princeton streets on the city's south side. In the early 1960s the neighborhoods were razed en masse so that construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway could begin. The family moved the business (Orsi & Sons) to a new location at 59 East 18th street. The store was nearby Chicago's "Record Row" on South Michigan Avenue. Musicians from studios such as Chess Records would stop by at Orsi & Sons for lunch. Young Phil Orsi soon became friends with Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.

Phil Orsi (born June 14, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, producer and musician.