Frank Sinatra

Lore & Background

Sinatra began singing professionally as a teenager, never learning to read music but learning by ear. He got his first break in 1935 when his mother persuaded a local singing group, the 3 Flashes, to let him join; they became the Hoboken Four and won first prize on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour. In 1939, he joined the Harry James band as vocalist, then moved to the Tommy Dorsey band in 1940, where he gained significant attention. He signed with Columbia Records in 1943 and became the idol of the 'bobby soxers', releasing his debut album The Voice of Frank Sinatra in 1946. He later signed with Capitol Records, releasing albums arranged by Nelson Riddle such as In the Wee Small Hours (1955) and Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956). In 1960, he founded his own label, Reprise Records, and collaborated with Count Basie, Tom Jobim, and Duke Ellington. He announced retirement in 1971 but continued performing, and his version of 'New York, New York' was recorded in 1979.

Reader's Guide

Sinatra forged a highly successful acting career, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for From Here to Eternity (1953) and starring in films such as The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), and musicals like On the Town (1949) and Pal Joey (1957), the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award. He also directed the anti-war drama None but the Brave (1965). On television, The Frank Sinatra Show began on CBS in 1950, and he continued making television appearances through the 1950s and 1960s. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997. He earned 13 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Legend Award, and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. American music critic Robert Christgau called Sinatra 'the greatest singer of the 20th century', and he continues to be regarded as an iconic figure.

Did You Know?

• Sinatra weighed 13.5 pounds at birth and was delivered with forceps, causing scarring and lifelong damage to his left eardrum.
• He never learned to read music but learned by ear.
• He left high school after only 47 days to pursue music.
• He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"What I do with my life is of my own doing. I live it the best way I can." — Frank Sinatra "If I had as many love affairs as you've given me credit for, I would now be speaking to you from a jar at the Harvard Medical School." — Frank Sinatra "Pop Chronicles: Show 22 - Smack Dab in the Middle on Route 66: A skinny dip in the easy listening mainstream. (Part 1), 1965." — Frank Sinatra "I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful time living his life, and who had good friends, a fine family. I don't think I could ask for anything more than that, actually." — Frank Sinatra