till the day my dad died, he would of gladly strangled him...
Posted on 04/14/2012 6:21:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
As the BBC quest to find The Voice goes on, the original and the best singer given that title was Frank Sinatra, says Richard Havers.
Seventy years ago, on a November evening in 1942, Robert A. Weitman, one of the most influential men in American entertainment had been persuaded to drive out from Manhattan to Newark, New Jersey, to check out the singer who had recently left Tommy Dorsey’s band to go solo.
According to Weitman, who was the manager of the prestigious Paramount Theatre on 43rd Street and Broadway at Times Square in New York City, not since Rudy Vallee had he seen a singer who induced so much squealing from young girls in an audience. The singer was Frank Sinatra.
Weitman was impressed enough to offer Sinatra a booking at the Paramount on a show to be headlined by Benny Goodman – one of the most popular bandleaders in America. They were booked into the theatre for four weeks from December 30th 1942 to play the tried and tested formula of a 2 for 1 show that included a movie – in this case, Star Spangled Rhythm starring Victor Moore and Betty Hutton – along with live entertainment featuring ‘theKing of Swing’, Benny Goodman and his famous Orchestra, his young vocalist, Peggy Lee, and the Radio Rogues along with Moke and Poke providing the laughs. Frank Sinatra, who had turned 27 a couple of weeks earlier was included as an extra-added attraction and billed as, ‘The Voice That Has Thrilled Millions’.
On the opening night, after Benny had worked his way through numbers including ‘Taking A Chance on Love’, his theme song, ‘Let’s Dance’ and Peggy had sung ‘Why Don’t you Do Right’ it was time for Frank. Benny Goodman’s introduction could not have been more low key, “
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
BFL
His best song: “I Did It My Way” - My dad has a record collection of Sinatra, Martin, ect. and we’d listen in the evening for hours just by firelight. It was great memories.
Because there are no more standards (contemporary songs that every artist sings) and singers aren’t as prized for their singing voices anymore as they are for their “celebrity” status.
Hard to replace someone when the entertainment world doesn’t appreciate talent anymore.
Sinatra was a jerk. I play his LPs backwards for yuks.
Frank’s voice was absolutely pure. Simply one of the best in “pop” music ever. I was fortunate to see him in 1991. He was singing off a TelePrompTer but it was absolutely magical. Also, do yourselves a favor and get Sinatra Live at the Sands. Count Basie and his orchestra played and it was Sinatra in his prime in Vegas in 1966.
Yes, Sinatra was great. But for me, please play some Dean Martin.
Thanks for posting these nick.
I have that cd. Count Basie and his orchestra are fantastic.
It’s an unpopular opinion but I’ve never found anything the least bit interesting about Sinatra or his choice of music. He is to music what Budweiser is to beer; very popular and bland, tasteless and boring IMHO
till the day my dad died, he would of gladly strangled him...
Crosby had far more talent and was a much bigger success.
Why?
Why did he want to and why didn't he do so?
After 1960, Sinatra was a republican btw.
Thank you for that. As it was ending, I realized that I had had a smile the entire time. Thanks again.
called him a draft dodger... i guess he wasn't alone in his generation that thought that
“After 1960, Sinatra was a republican btw.”
Really? I’d like to believe that. Did this have anything to do with Sammie Davis Jr. being denied an invite to the White House?
Sid Mark on the radio. Every Saturday, great stuff.
Dean was great. No lip-syncing in those days, just the real deal.
He was also funny as hell. It is a real shame that the youth of today want to spin on their backs like turtles while “singing” about beating bitches and “capping” cops.
Was he a draft dodger?
I don’t know so I am asking.
Sinatra Rules!
No. He was 4F.
It was a sore spot to him for the rest of his life.
i don't know... but i do know dad and his brother both believed he was
Ring A Ding Ding.
Francis Albert is the greatest American thing.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0007/03/bp.00.htmlBurden of Proof Phil and Tom Kuntz Discuss 'The Sinatra Files' Aired July 3, 2000 - 12:30 p.m. ET
T. KUNTZ: He had an ear injury sustained at birth and the FBI got a tip that he had bribed his way out of the draft. It got this tip from the columnist Walter Winchell, and they investigated whether, in fact, there was anything untoward in his draft exemption. They found out it was legitimate, but they also found out that Sinatra had changed his story to draft officials on questionnaires. He had repeatedly said that he was free of any mental or physical infirmities whatsoever. But when he showed up at his physical, he claimed not only the ear ailment, which was bona fide, but also to be neurotic and afraid to be in crowds, which my brother and I found to be a little bit implausible.
VAN SUSTEREN: Phil, set the record straight: Did -- was Frank Sinatra a draft-dodger or not? After getting all your Freedom of information Act information, do you conclude he was or was not?
P. KUNTZ: I think he -- what he told the Draft Board officials clearly indicates that he didn't want to serve. I don't think that you could call him a draft-dodger. That's a rather strong term. He clearly -- there's no evidence that he paid a bribe to get out of the draft. I think there's plenty of evidence, though, that he want to wanted to make sure that he didn't get drafted.
Was it Bruce Springsteen that rerecorded some of his songs? I think I heard him and Cindy Lauper singing torch songs.
“Frank countered with “Strangers in the Night.”
Really put her in her place, didn’t it? I’m not a Sinatra fan, but can tell the difference between vulgarity and an out and out hack.
You don't scare me. I've got chunks of guys like you in my stool!
.
Partly right and the snubbing by the kennedys at the 1960 convention because of supposed mod ties.My FIL was his lawyer back in those days and told me they were both republicans from there on out.My FIL was also good friens with RR. The connection was obviously the movie industry.
Interesting. My grandfather knew Reagan too, back during his days in Des Moines, Ia while a sports announcer at WHO. They ate lunch together at the local diner. Grandpa had a radio repair business near WHO.
Thats a cool story.I love hearing stories like that.
In spite of just what an evil SOB he was, I always did like his duo with Nancy in “Something Stupid” (1967).
One of the funniest SNL skits ever, RIP Phil, we still miss you.
Thanks!!
We think the same thing here — I just got out of the car with my 18-year old and we were listening to the best of Dean Martin.
DH, Italian, grew up listening to Sinatra, Martin and the Singing Barber — Perry Como, it was always on in his home.
We listen to Rat Pack CDs ALL the time — love ALL of them.
does anyone besides me remember when he and Dino both had
Top 40 ranking singles? back in the early 60’s, somewhere..
Or the CD...the Capital Years...now I gotta find my copy and play it.
My son sings in a men’s choir; has for years. One day I asked him who the greatest male vocalist was and he immediately responded that it was Sinatra.
He pointed out that his pitch is perfect; every note is spot-on. He told me to listen to the details of his singing. I have, and enjoy him even more.
About that time, Dad mentioned an incident involving Sinatra that soured him on the guy. It may have taken place during the convention; I don't recall exactly.
Old Sam Rayburn was speaker of the House and LBJ's political mentor. He approached Sinatra in his customary glad-hander way, and reportedly Sinatra rudely brushed him off. Dad said that Sinatra had said "Get your filthy hands off me," or something presumably to that effect.
The Sinatra-Rayburn incident from Dad may have influenced my taste, or lack thereof, for Sinatra; I did not for many years pay much attention to him.
However, I did continue in the devlopment of my appreciation of music, influenced by my parents and older siblings; various (but not all) kinds.
Over the many years since 1960, I certainly heard my share of Sinatra’s music and also my share of stories about Sinatra the performer and the man. At length, I have come concur with the high esteem in which the world holds his art.
Just recently, I heard a very early recording of Sinatra; must have been pre-1940. Interestingly, his singing did not yet stand out from the crowd, at least to my ears. He was just starting out on the road to his unique mature style.
Among male solo vocalists, alongside Sinatra I would place Martin, Cole, Bennett, and Tormé.
Interesting.To have been a fly on the wall...
For nonstop boorishness by Not-So-Hotra, check out the 1986 unauthorized bio “His Way”. People caught reading it in public in New Jersey often got beaten up.
I will always owe the. Stooges for teaching me the alphabet.
The movie wasn’t bad. You just have to like the Stooge’s style.
It could have been less crude, but it delivered what it promised. Still, I’ll stick with the original shorts.
Well, that belonged on another thread, sorry!
I used to be a bigger Sinatra fan. This bothers big fans i know, but I find post comeback Sinatra to be too maudlin and well into self parody. It just isn’t my taste.
We saw it yesterday. It was okay. I thought the Moe character did a pretty good job with the voice. Some of the sequences, such as when they thought the guy was messing with the sisters and they took care of him, simply underscored what a huge degree of physical talent the original guys had. The overall plot was okay. It wasn’t any more unbelievable than anything else out there. I liked the extreme level of loyalty they showed each other and the nuns and their wanting to do the right thing, however unclear they were about exactly what that meant. It was also pretty funny that they put Jersey Shores on an appropriate intellectual level.
Smart kid! He’s right. Every note is just pure. To me it’s the smoothness of the transitions between notes that makes him the best. It’s just silky. Not to mention great songwriting and lyrics. Just the epitome of cool.
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