Dec 12: Frank Sinatra was born in 1915

“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.”
― Frank Sinatra

“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.”
― Phil Harris (often used by Frank Sinatra)

“I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful time living life, a man who had good friends, fine family – and I don’t think I could ask for anything more than that, actually.”
― Frank Sinatra

Right from the beginning, he was there with the truth
of things in his voice. His music had an influence on me, whether I knew it or not. He was one of the very few singers who sang without a mask. It’s a sad day.
~Bob Dylan (remembering Frank Sinatra)

I Only Have Eyes For You (live w/Count Basie Orchestra):

Bob Dylan – Restless Farewell @ Sinatra’s 80th Birthday celebration:

From wikipedia:

Birth name	Francis Albert Sinatra
Also known as	Ol’ Blue Eyes The Chairman of the Board The Voice
Born	December 12, 1915 Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	May 14, 1998 (aged 82) West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Genres	Traditional pop, jazz, swing, big band, vocal
Occupations	Singer, actor, producer, director, conductor
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1935–1995
Labels	Columbia, Capitol, Reprise, Apple Records
Associated acts	Rat Pack, Bing Crosby, Nancy Sinatra, Judy Garland, Quincy Jones,Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Dean Martin, Count Basie, Sammy Davis, Jr.
Website	sinatra.com

Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra, (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and film actor of Italian origin.

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 to 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.

From Here to Eternity (1953) – Montgomery Clift and Frank Sinatra:

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”.

Fly me to the Moon (Sinatra @ The Sands):

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, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in From Here to Eternity, 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. Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Theme from New York New York (Concert Collection):

Frank Sinatra was arguably the most important popular music figure of the 20th century, his only real rivals for the title being Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles. In a professional career that lasted 60 years, he demonstrated a remarkable ability to maintain his appeal and pursue his musical goals despite often countervailing trends.
~William Ruhlmann (allmusic.com)

Album of the day:

Sinatra at the Sands (1966):

youtube:

–
Spotify:

-Egil