Frank Sinatra
Famous for his charm and infamous for his temper, Sinatra was the toast of the town wherever he went, a friend to powerful and influential statesmen, and a champion for equal rights in the United States and abroad. He continues to hold a special place in the public imagination as a classic performer of the highest qualitya true American icon.
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1940's: Ups and Downs
Frank Sinatra entered the 1940's on a wave of success. After parting company with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Sinatra became a bona fide soloist, and was voted the top male singer in both
''Down Beat'' magazines in May 1941.
The onset of war in Europe coincided with the musicians' strike, which lasted from 1942 until 1944. Though no records were being released during the strike, Sinatra increased his stardom by performing on stage and on the radio. However, there was some backlash against him as he was exempted from active military dutymany Americans suspected foul play on the part of both Sinatra and the US military, and his popularity as a singer slowly declined.
Towards the end of the decade, Sinatra made the transition into motion pictures, appearing in several highly successful musicals and comedies, a move that ensured that his star would continue to rise, despite the relative lull in his singing career.
Capitol Records Concept Albums
Shortly after receiving the Oscar, Sinatra signed to
Capitol Records and embarked on the most ambitious creative period of his music career. Between 1953 and 1960, he released 14 albums and songs that would go on to define his career as a singer and live performer. These albums were collectively called the Concept Albums, with each sticking to a primary thematic strain; collectively, the set is a veritable gold standard for musicians. Here are a few of our favorite individual picks.
1960's: Doing It His Way
Despite the staggering success of Sinatra's string of concept albums, at the start of the 1960's the singer decided to break with Capitol Records and form his own label, which came to be known as Reprise Records. During this time, with his renewed creative freedom, Sinatra went on to create some of the finest records of his career, and also continued to appear in several critically acclaimed motion pictures.
The Twilight of a Glittering Career
At a 1971 concert in Hollywood, Frank Sinatra announced his retirement from show business. However, only two years later, he came out of retirement and began his long-standing residency as a Las Vegas showman, while also engaging in several national tours. From the 1970's until his death in 1998, the icon performed and released several popular retrospective albums. Below, we spotlight some of our favorites.
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