Frank Sinatra example essay topic

Immortality is defined as eternal life. Frank Sinatra is one who will live forever. His music, his movies, his attitude, his eyes, whatever it is you remember him for, all the same, he IS greatness. Few people come along in the course of life that can be labeled great, Frankie is the symbol of greatness. Tens of millions of recordings, nine Grammys and two Academy Awards, over 60 films, worldwide tours, television specials, hundreds of millions of dollars raised for charities. Sinatra passed the tests of time with grades better than though could be achieved, this is his story...

Sinatra was born Dec. 12, 1915, the only child of working-class Italian-American immigrants, in a tenement at 415 Monroe St. in Hoboken. His father, Anthony, was a boxer / fireman in Hoboken. His mother, Natalie 'Dolly's sinatra, worked as a barmaid who loved to sing at family gatherings. Music always filled the Sinatra home. In high school, he saw his hero, Bing Crosby, perform live. This was all the inspiration Sinatra needed to set his goal as becoming a professional singer.

Sinatra, while working jobs at The Jersey Observer, sang with a neighborhood vocal group, the Hoboken Four, He also appeared in neighborhood theater amateur shows, where first prize was usually $10 or a set of dishes. His first professional gig was at the Rustic Cabin roadhouse in Englewood Cliffs, where Sinatra sang, told jokes and emceed when he wasn't waiting tables. At the request of his mother Frank enrolled in Hoboken's Stevens Institute of Technology, but he soon dropped out after 1 1/2 semesters. In 1939 he was offered his first professional singing contract as the lead vocalist in Harry James' new band.

When Sinatra started performing with the 'Big Bands' he acquired a fierce following of young fans, which enabled him to later branch out as a solo artist. It was at this time that Sinatra's career soared. Sinatra was signed to a recording contract as a soloist by Columbia Recording Corporation. Sinatra had developed a highly innovative style of singing and finally could make decisions on how the band should play or how a song should be sung. If he wanted something changed, it was changed. A talent agency marketing Sinatra advertised him as: 'The Voice That Thrilled Millions.

' This was later changed to 'The Voice. ' This would be on of his many labels for life. Having the ability to entertain one person is an achievement in itself, but thousands is another story. He could entertain anyone, any place, any time. In September 1942, Sinatra decided to go solo. A year later, he had his first lead movie role, in the musical 'Higher and Higher,' but he didn't stay put in Hollywood.

Instead, he toured as part of a concert series devoted to movie music; did two radio shows a week, including 'Your Hit Parade,' and performed up and down the West Coast. In November 1946, Columbia estimated that Sinatra was recording an average of twenty-four songs a year, enabling them to release one new Sinatra record a month. Not a single band today can produce hit albums at the pace Sinatra did. A successful band today would be expected to produce three records a year; Sinatra did four times that amount. In 1946 his records were selling at an annual rate of ten million per year. He had a successful radio program and a film contract with M.G.M. He was at the peak of his popularity.

'He's the one who made it possible for the singer to be the star of the band,' says jazz singer Jon Hendricks of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. During the World War II years, Sinatra (who was exempted from service by a punctured eardrum) and Axel St ordahl, his chief arranger and conductor, introduced 'Nancy (With the Laughin' Face). ' Originally presented to Sinatra's oldest child on her fourth birthday, it became one of his signature tunes in a period when he was king, that also brought forth 'When Your Lover is Gone,' 'The Song Is You,' 'Fools Rush In,' 'Begin the Beguine " and 'I've Got a Crush on You. ' By December 1946, Sinatra wanted to be taken more seriously as an artist, and not as a teen sex symbol. Sinatra banned teenagers from attending his radio broadcasts. He went back to the ways he had learned Crosby and Dorsey, he began popularizing slower but still swinging arrangements...

Sinatra preached the virtues of racial tolerance and national unity in the 1945 short film, 'The House I Live In,' which won a special Academy Award the following year. Sinatra was finally getting artistic respect. 'He was the greatest interpreter of lyrics that ever lived,' said pop singer Dionne Warwick. 'He could sing the telephone book and make you believe it. ' Even the greatest have their downfalls, but its all about getting back up from them that makes them even greater.

Linked by gossip columns to both the Mafia and the Communist party, Sinatra was constantly defending himself against allegations of wrong-doing. He was spotted in Havana with renowned mobster Lucky Luciano. He was questioned by the committee on Un-American Activities. Sinatra denied any corrupt dealings. The accusations continued, however, and Sinatra's personality and quick temper just got him into more trouble. In 1949 he was fired from his radio show and his live New York concerts were disasters.

His personal life was falling apart as fast as his career. Sinatra's image as an adoring husband and father to his wife, Nancy, and their three children was destroyed with the discovery of his scandalous affair with Ava Gardner. Their divorce and Sinatra's antics in public did not help his declining popularity. Columbia Records wanted him out, M.G.M. dropped him, as did his own agent, MCA. It appeared that Frank Sinatra was finished at thirty-four years of age. Sinatra was broke and depressed.

His career was in shambles and his personal relationships were strained. Sinatra's friends, such as restaurateur, Toots Shor, tried to talk sense with him and pleaded with the singer to get a grip on himself. As it turned out, Frank Sinatra saved Frank Sinatra. He read James Jones' war novel, From Here to Eternity, and knew that the part of Maggio, the tough little Italian who refused to be broken, could have been written for him.

He went to see Buddy Adler, a producer at Columbia Pictures, and asked to be tested for the part. Adler was not impressed with the arrival of Sinatra and informed that there were five other actors to be tested ahead of him. Sinatra then went to Henry Cohn, the head of Columbia Pictures, to sell himself for the role. Sinatra did win the role of Maggio (it was widely speculated that 'Johnny Fontaine,' the character featured in the Godfather movies, was based on the real Frank Sinatra, and that the role in From Here to Eternity was obtained through his Mafia connections rather than any talent of Sinatra's).

Sinatra settled for a salary of $8,000 for his role in the movie even though he had previously commanded $150,000 per picture. You could say Sinatra was a desperate man at this point, but Sinatra was just being Sinatra. He knew that this role could make him a major star again. As a matter of fact, he probably would have paid them for the part because he knew he would be able to command even higher salaries if he was right and his 'Maggio' was a hit.

Sinatra had complete confidence in himself so he just went in and did what he believed he could do better than all the rest. He labored several hours a day in military training to prepare for his performance as Montgomery Clifts's war-time chum. Sinatra won an Oscar in 1953 for his portrayal of Maggio in From Here to Eternity. After a struggle, Frank was back on top. I think its best said in his song 'That's Life', the lyrics read as follows: That's Life, that's what all the people say, Your riding high in April, shot down in May, but I know I'm gonna change that tune, when I'm back on top in June, that's life... but I don't let it get me down, because this fine old world it keeps on spinning around. ' True Frankie attitude.

His triumph led to a second career as a mature movie star, playing Nathan Detroit opposite Marlon Brando in 'Guys and Dolls,' And a heroin addict in the drama 'The Man with the GoldenArm' and a journalist in 'High Society,' the musical version of 'The Philadelphia Story. ' He also became active in politics, supporting Democratic candidates and fighting against racism in pop culture and the rest of American life. Though he wasn't above making back-slapping, racist jibes onstage, his eagerness to share the spotlight with black entertainers earned him admirers. 'It's one thing to have African-American friends in private,' says jazz drummer T.S. Monk of South Orange. 'But Sinatra made his views public and put his money where his mouth was. ' Most significantly, he made a stunning return to the recording studio, killing is poor image which had been haunting him and reviving himself as a sophisticated man of the world, scarred by love but not scared of new romance.

His voice was deeper and richer now; every note he sang was suffused with the exquisite awareness of innocence lost forever. Now a bachelor in his 40's, Sinatra entered a middle-aged crazy phase. His entourage, nicknamed the Rat Pack, included Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop and Shirley MacLaine, who called Sinatra 'Chairman of the Board' and 'Il Padrone. ' They made such memorable films as 'Ocean's 11' and 'Robin and the 7 Hoods.

' They would do countless amounts of shows in Las Vegas to sell out crowds, bringing big money to the casino's and increasing the popularity of the Rat Pack. By the 60's Sinatra had The World On a String. In 1961 Sinatra founded his own recording studio, REPRISE. REPRISE recorded Sinatra and other popular artists in the 60's, and is still the choice of singers today.

In 1960 Sinatra developed a relationship with the president to be, John F. Kennedy. Through his power and popularity, Sinatra urged many Hollywood liberals to campaign and vote for JFK. Getting many of stubborn actors to listen to another stubborn actor on politics, shows the ability Sinatra had not only with 'ordinary' people but with the Hollywood big shots as well. Sinatra did have a little help though. He and his friends, known as The Rat Pack, toured the country holding fund-raising events.

Sinatra did a wonderful job inside Hollywood for JFK, a fact that was well documented and recorded. Unfortunately, after Kennedy's victory, he turned his back on his good 'friend' due to the continuous allegations of Sinatra's ties to organized crime. The friendship cooled down. JFK not only stopped any dialogue between the two, but also stopped staying at Sinatra's Palm Spring's residence.

When Sinatra found out that the new president decided to stay at Republican Bing Crosby's estate, he felt betrayed. After all the effort Sinatra put into getting this man elected, Kennedy acted as if no relationship had ever existed. The friendship is said to have been terminated in September of 1963. Although the pain was there, Sinatra never blamed himself and continued his career.

The late sixties rolled around, and Sinatra was Young at Heart. In 1966 Sinatra met a beautiful and talented young actress, Mia Farrow. Sinatra was fifty-one years old and beginning to tire. He needed to prove to himself that he still had what it takes. So, after an extremely brief courtship, this long time rebel and his silver screen sweetheart, barely twenty-one years old, married.

The marriage was almost equally as brief. In November of 1967, after only sixteen months, the Sinatra divorced citing too little time together as the reason. Once again love had eluded Ol' Blue Eyes. In 1971 Sinatra had enough. The 'Chairman of the Board' decided to call it quits. The continuous attacks by the media and critics had finally gotten to him.

His voice was beginning to fade and he was physically drained. The plan was to take it Nice 'n' Easy. His retirement, however, did not agree with him and was short lived. In 1973 Sinatra returned to the studio recording, Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back. Sinatra could not stay away; he wanted to perform as long as he was able.

Professionally, Sinatra was at the top of his game, the undisputed heavyweight champion. On October 13, 1974, Sinatra performed live at Madison Square Garden for the Main Event. Sinatra once more was in front of a sell out crowd doing what he does best: entertaining. 'Sinatra is the total master of vocal technique', says Harry Connick Jr., 'He was the first at holding phrases for such a long time, sliding from note to note. The way he can get vibrato on the high notes-it's amazing. Then there is his breath control, the way he can hold phrases for 20 or 25 seconds.

The best example is on Old Man River from The Concert Sinatra album. He must have an extra set of lungs; I wish he kept them in my chest. ' Even an older, more mellow Sinatra could electrify and excite an audience much in the same way as the younger. Sinatra decided to take another chance on love, marrying Barbara Marx on July 11, 1976. It appears that after years of heart ache and sorrow, Sinatra had finally found someone to love him All The Way.

In 1980 Sinatra reached the age of sixty-five when most normal people consider retirement, but Sinatra was no normal person. He had not even mentioned the word since his brief stint as a retiree in the early 1970's. Instead, Sinatra released a new album, Trilogy. Rolling Stone heralded it to be his best work in fifteen years. Sinatra's voice was still being acclaimed as one of the greats. In the early 1980's Sinatra packed a Rio de Janeiro concert hall with 175,000 people, the largest audience ever to attend a concert by a solo artist.

Sinatra received two awards of achievement in 1983: a Kennedy Center Honor, and an award from the Variety Clubs International. Awards continue to accrue for this durable artist. In 1994 Sinatra won The Grammy Legend Award, which officially recognizes the achievements of his life. Sinatra produced only two new albums in the 1990's: Duets in '93 and Duets II in '94. Each of these albums features songs performed by Sinatra with another popular singer in a duet. Duets was Sinatra's first multi-platinum album; quite an accomplishment for a senior citizen.

His singing partners have ranged from the country western icon, Willie Nelson, to the celebrated tenor, Luciano Pavarotti. This in itself demonstrates the timeless quality of the man and his music. Frank Sinatra has tasted 'the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat' again and again throughout his long career as an entertainer. He has survived musical fads and trends-bebop, soft rock, hip-hop, punk, rap, hard rock. Rolling Stone called his work 'important, an eloquent display of his paradoxical brand of artistry; tough, yet sensitive, vain yet compassionate, grasping yet generous. And when Sinatra left the stage, we realized we might never witness artistry that big and that provocative again.

' Sinatra has outlasted the trends and fads of the musical industry to rise above the rest and become one of the most resilient artists of his time. 'Frank Sinatra was the 20th Century,' said Bono, lead singer of the rock group U 2, and a retro-swinger himself. 'He was modern, he was complex, he had swing and attitude. He was the big bang of pop... the man invented pop music.

' To call a person the best, or the greatest is a opinionated, unfair, assumption. Frank Sinatra is the exception to that statement. No other entertainer of this century can even hold a candle to the imprint that Frank Sinatra has left on society. He was the nice dressed, heavy drinking, romancer, who's voice touched the hears of millions. Never again will a single person come along on this earth that will dominate the world of music movies, radio, and set the standards of the modern culture. The world is just a giant school and Frank is the most popular kid in class.

On May 15th, 1998, the world lost the body of Frank Sinatra, but not the presence of him. Frank Sinatra will live in the hearts of fans as long as there is a sun in the sky. Each day the earth spins a new Sinatra fan is born. 'One of Sinatra's favorite toasts to make with a glass in hand was, 'May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine,' ' recalled crooner Tony Bennett, a longtime friend. 'The master is gone but his voice will live forever. '.