Paul Sanchez

A Coney Island resident for the past 16 years, Paul Sanchez is a singer/songwriter who can be found playing his guitar on the Boardwalk and in Coney venues such as Steeplechase Beer Garden. He plays his signature composition, "A Coney Island Song," in which he sings about "the Playground of the World, where I met my girl." Among Paul's memories are playing at some of Coney Island's beloved venues such as Cha Cha's and Steve's Grill House, which closed their Boardwalk locations at the end of the 2011 season. Cha Cha's was "a rock 'n' roll place... you go in, you take off your safety belt and you just hang on for life," says Paul. He shares memories of Cha Cha's manager, John Thomas, and Steve Bitetzakis of the Grill House, both of whom have passed away, and of some of the colorful characters he has jammed with on the Boardwalk.