Frank Sinatra (Official Thread)

[Nora]

FRANK SINATRA​

Biography

Frank Sinatra also known as The Voice (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and film actor. Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra found unprecedented success as a solo artist from the early to mid-1940s after being signed by Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the "bobby soxers", he released his first album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra in 1946. His professional career had stalled by the 1950s, but it was reborn in 1953 after he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in From Here to Eternity. He signed with Capitol Records in 1953 and released several critically lauded albums (such as In the Wee Small Hours, Songs for Swingin' Lovers!, Come Fly with Me, Only the Lonely and Nice 'n' Easy). Sinatra left Capitol to found his own record label, Reprise Records in 1961 (finding success with albums such as Ring-a-Ding-Ding!, Sinatra at the Sands and Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim), toured internationally, was a founding member of the Rat Pack and fraternized with celebrities and statesmen, including John F. Kennedy.

Sinatra turned 50 in 1965, recorded the retrospective September of My Years, starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music, and scored hits with "Strangers in the Night" and "My Way". With sales of his music dwindling and after appearing in several poorly received films, Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971. Two years later, however, he came out of retirement and in 1973 recorded several albums, scoring a Top 40 hit with "(Theme From) New York, New York" in 1980. Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base, he toured both within the United States and internationally, until a short time before his death in 1998. Sinatra also forged a highly successful career as a film actor. After winning Best Supporting Actor in 1953, he also garnered a nomination for Best Actor for The Man with the Golden Arm, and critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate. He also starred in such musicals as High Society, Pal Joey, Guys and Dolls and On the Town.

Sinatra was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997. He was the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Sinatra is also one of world’s best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million copies worldwide.


Legacy

Philadelphia radio DJ Sid Mark has hosted a Frank Sinatra show (Friday with Frank, Saturday with Sinatra, Sunday with Sinatra) for over 50 years.

The U.S. Postal Service issued a 42-cent postage stamp in honor of Sinatra on May 13, 2008. The design of the stamp was unveiled Wednesday, December 12, 2007 – on what would have been his 92nd birthday – in Beverly Hills, California, with Sinatra family members on hand. The design shows a 1950s-vintage image of Sinatra, wearing a hat. The design also includes his signature, with his last name alone. The Hoboken Post Office was renamed in his honor in 2002. The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens and the Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken were named in his honor.

The U.S. Congress passed a resolution on May 20, 2008, designating May 13 as Frank Sinatra Day to honor his contribution to American culture. The resolution was introduced by Representative Mary Bono Mack.

To commemorate the anniversary of Sinatra's death, Patsy's Restaurant in New York City, which Sinatra frequented, exhibited in May 2009 fifteen previously unseen photographs of Sinatra taken by Bobby Bank. The photos are of his recording "Everybody Ought to Be in Love" at a nearby recording studio.

Stephen Holden wrote for the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide:
Frank Sinatra's voice is pop music history. [...] Like Presley and Dylan – the only other white male American singers since 1940 whose popularity, influence, and mythic force have been comparable – Sinatra will last indefinitely. He virtually invented modern pop song phrasing.

Wynn Resorts dedicated a signature restaurant to Sinatra inside Encore Las Vegas on December 22, 2008. Memorabilia in the restaurant includes his Oscar for "From Here to Eternity", his Emmy for "Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music", his Grammy for "Strangers in the Night", photographs and a gold album he received for "Classic Sinatra".

There is a residence hall at Montclair State University named for him in recognition of his status as an iconic New Jersey native.

The Frank Sinatra International Student Center at Israel's Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus campus, was dedicated in 1978 in recognition of Sinatra's charitable and advocacy activities on behalf of the State of Israel.

In 1999, Huell Howser Productions, in association with KCET/Los Angeles, featured Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs home in California's Gold; the 49 minute program is available on VHS.


Discography


Songs

 

[Magic]

Frank was definitely a legend........and a ladies man!

There was a pretty decent metal tribute to Frank that was released in 2011:




Since there has been so much buzz lately about Geoff Tate, I thought I would post his cover of "Summerwind"





And Jani Lane's (Warrant) cool version of "That's Life"




RIP Jani!!

 

[LG]

Grew up with Frank's music playing in the house, Mom was a Huge fan of his.

Stranger's in the Night would probably be my pick for favorite song, boy that takes me back.

Frank really became kind of an ass in his later years though, especially when he was in a casino gambling. The last time I saw him before he passed away was in the audience at the "3 Tenors" concert in LA. They performed a tribute/medley for him but he really didn't know what was going on until someone explained it to him.

Probably the most famous singer in music history, outside of opera anyway.

 

[Magic]

You think Frank is more famous than Wayne Newton? or Elvis?


I always thought Wayne Newton had the Las Vegas show "boy" title. Frank was famous for other things besides singing

 

[LG]

Frank was called "Chairman of the Board" for good reason, I think every other male vocalist had him at the top of the ladder.

I forgot about Elvis, but I like Frank a lot more myself and he was a better singer by a wide margin. Elvis was a great entertainer though, can't take that away from him.

Frank's best movie was the original and best "Manchurian Candidate", it's stood the test of time and was his personal favorite and the one he's most proud of.

 

[Magic]

I like the Manchurian Candidate remake..........of course I saw it first, then saw the original movie.

 

[LG]

^^It was okay, the updated version but I prefer the original, much better cast and acting shot in black and white during the cold war when it was at it's peak.

I watched Denzel's remake, and give them credit for changing and modernizing the story, but really no middle eastern despotic country will ever rival the Soviet Union and their satellite countries when it comes to posing a threat to the west..

 

[Vehicle]

I have a bunch of Frank's stuff. I just got a cd not too long ago for a couple bucks at a trade/buy shop. Worth every penny. I have a couple of Frank compilation cds, as well his Christmas cd.

I also have a solo performance in Vegas, as well as one with Sammy & Dean at The Sands. Man, there was no such thing as Politically Incorrect back then. At one point, Dean picks up Sammy and says "I'd like to thank the NAACP for this award..."

Frank was actually instrumental in Sammy's success. The racial attitude in show biz wasn't friendly in the 50s and 60s, so it was tough for Sammy's career. I read Frank took a stand because they were friends, and actually put Sammy up in his house for a while, until Sammy was solvent enough to support himself.

 

[gcczep]

To Be Frank...

I picked up his CD hits compile a few years back. It came with a commemorative stamp too. Now I just have to find a vinyl equivalent. Anybody know of such a title? Apparently Sinatra's recordings cover several labels according to the shop owner whose place I frequent.

 

[LG]

^^I have no idea George, my Mom had over 20 of his albums on vinyl, but they were worn out and not worth keeping. Capitol was his main label, but I don't remember if they did any greatest hits packages, I have the deluxe CD release I inherited it from my Mom along some other artists she liked.