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—Sinatra's daughter Nancy on the importance of his mother Dolly in his life and character. Francis Albert Sinatra [a] was born on December 12, 1915, in a tenement at 415 Monroe Street in Hoboken, New Jersey, [b] the only child of Italian immigrants Natalina "Dolly" Garaventa and Antonino Martino "Marty" Sinatra, who boxed under the name Marty O'Brien. [c] Sinatra weighed 13.5 pounds (6.1 kg ...
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Frank Sinatra was an American singer and motion picture actor and one of the most sought-after performers in the entertainment industry. He is considered by many to have been the greatest American singer of 20th-century popular music.
When was Frank Sinatra born?
American singer and actor Frank Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey.
What were some of Frank Sinatra’s most famous recordings?
American singer and actor Frank Sinatra recorded numerous songs over the course of his career, many of which were beloved by his fans. Some of his most famous song recordings included “I’m a Fool to Want You” (1951), “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (1956), “One for My Baby” (1958), “Strangers in the Night” (1966), “That’s Life” (1967), and “My Way” (1969).
When did Frank Sinatra die?
Sinatra’s six-month tenure with the James band resulted in 10 commercial recordings featuring the young singer. On songs such as “From the Bottom of My Heart,”“My Buddy,” and “Ciribiribin,” Sinatra’s warm baritone and sensitivity to lyrics are well showcased. The best-known of the James-Sinatra sides is “All or Nothing at All”—a flop in 1939 but a million-seller when rereleased in 1943, after both men had become stars. Sinatra’s reputation among industry musicians grew swiftly, and James graciously freed Sinatra from his contract when the singer received a more lucrative offer from bandleader Tommy Dorsey in December 1939. The 83 commercial recordings (as well as several surviving air checks) that Sinatra went on to make with the Dorsey band from 1940 to 1942 represent his first major body of work.
Sinatra was enormously influenced by Dorsey’s trombone playing and strove to improve his breath control in order to emulate Dorsey’s seamless, unbroken melodic passages. It was also during this period that Sinatra proved his mastery of both ballads and up-tempo numbers, and Dorsey arrangers Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, and Sy Oliver soon tailored their arrangements to highlight Sinatra’s skills. Often teamed with singer Connie Haines, or with Dorsey’s vocal group, The Pied Pipers (featuring future recording star Jo Stafford), Sinatra was featured on memorable sides such as “I’ll Never Smile Again,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Without a Song,” and “Oh! Look at Me Now.”
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A strike by the American Federation of Musicians against the major record companies curtailed Sinatra’s recording output during most of 1943–44. His solo recording career for Columbia Records began in earnest in November 1944, when he compensated for lost time by recording dozens of sides within a three-month period. Songs such as “If You Are But a Dream,” “ There’s No You,” “I Fall in Love Too Easily,” “Nancy,” and his theme song at that time, “Put Your Dreams Away,” are some of the first recordings in what would come to be known to fans as the “Columbia era” (1943–52). His chief arranger during these years was Axel Stordahl, who also left Dorsey in late 1942 to work exclusively with Sinatra. Stordahl’s spare string arrangements on beautiful recordings such as “You Go to My Head” (1945), “These Foolish Things” (1945), and “That Old Feeling” (1947) defined the sound of Sinatra’s Columbia years.
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Sinatra’s success continued unabated until about 1948. In later years, he speculated that his sudden drop in popularity was because of his reluctance to change styles and evolve musically. He also garnered a great deal of negative press throughout 1947–48. It was about this time that the public first read reports of his friendships with organized-crime figures, and newspaper accounts were published of Sinatra cavorting in Cuba with the likes of Lucky Luciano and Joe Fischetti, a prominent mob figure. There was also the widely reported incident, and resulting lawsuit, in which Sinatra punched gossip columnist Lee Mortimer, an action for which Sinatra received some vindication in later years when it was revealed that Mortimer had collaborated with the FBI to discredit Sinatra. Whatever the cause, Sinatra began a five-year period of professional decline and personal depression. Years of singing as many as 100 songs per day had taken its toll, and he lost his voice completely for several months in 1950 because of vocal-chord hemorrhaging. His divorce from first wife, Nancy, in 1951 and his subsequent stormy marriage to actress Ava Gardner further harmed his reputation. In addition, then-new Columbia Records president Mitch Miller cajoled Sinatra to record several banal novelty tunes that compromised his artistic credibility. In 1952 his Columbia recording contract came due and was not renewed, he was dropped by his talent agency, his network television show was canceled, and Sinatra was considered a has-been. Ironically, and despite Miller’s demands, several of Sinatra’s recordings from this period are now considered among his best, with shining examples such as “Mad About You,” “Nevertheless,” “Birth of the Blues,” and, especially, his 1951 recording of “I’m a Fool to Want You.”
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Apr 2, 2014 · Learn about the life and career of Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century. From his early days as a singer and actor to his later achievements in music and film, discover his iconic songs, awards, relationships and legacy.
IMDb provides an extensive overview of the life and career of Frank Sinatra, the legendary singer and actor who won an Oscar and starred in classics like From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate. Learn about his early struggles, his musical and cinematic achievements, his personal relationships and his legacy.
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- Hoboken, New Jersey, USA
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- Los Angeles, California, USA
Frank Sinatra is a legend and an icon of American music. Renowned for his impeccable phrasing and timing, his romantic swagger, and larger-than-life personality, he is recognized as one of the ...
Learn about the life and career of Frank Sinatra, the legendary singer and actor who won an Oscar and became a cultural icon. Explore his filmography, awards, trivia, family and more on IMDb.
Explore the legacy of the legendary singer and actor, from his music and videos to his news and events. Learn about his upcoming musical, Sinatra The Musical, and his anniversary fête, Sinatra Platinum.
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