Frank Sinatra
American Singer (1915 - 1998)
- || At The Bottom
1952 -- The career of Francis Albert Sinatra was marked by numerous ups and downs. After working his way up from Hoboken, New Jersey, during the Great Depression, Sinatra emerged during World War II as one of the biggest musical stars in the United States. After a three-year stint with Tommy Dorsey -- who led one of the most important bands of the swing jazz era -- Sinatra moved on to a solo career that delivered one hit after another. A box office success as well, Sinatra co-starred in several films with the great Gene Kelly. By the early 1950s, however, Sinatra's promising career had begun to slide. He gave in to the crass commercialism of the music industry by joining the radio series Your Hit Parade, in which he sang the top hits of the week, no matter how unmemorable they might have ultimately been. Now in his late 30's, his appeal to younger audiences faded somewhat, and in January 1950 he suffered vocal strain and hemorrhaging at a concert in Hartford, Connecticut. A stormy and ultimately unsuccessful marriage to Ava Gardner followed in 1951, and in 1952 the Columbia record label canceled his contract. Frank Sinatra was on his way to becoming a B-level performer.
- || At The Top
1994 -- A 78-year-old Frank Sinatra choked back tears as he accepted a Legend Award at the 1994 Grammy ceremony, offered in recognition of his lifetime of achievements in music and film. After a thunderous and lasting ovation from the audience, Sinatra thanked everyone and joked that he hoped they might get together again from time to time and do it all over again. His career was winding down, but over the past four decades Sinatra had released more than fifty Top 20 albums, a streak that had continued with his two Duets albums, released in 1993 and 1994 to great popular and critical acclaim. Duets II -- which featured Sinatra performing with Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett and many others -- reached #9 on the Billboard chart and won a 1995 Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. In the past several years, he had celebrated his 75th birthday with an elaborate and sold-out national tour, and he had received one honor after another -- and continued to prove himself to be one of the top concert draws in American music. By the time of his death in 1998, Sinatra had been honored with three Academy Awards and four Golden Globes; thirteen Grammy Awards; a Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP; a Congressional Gold Medal; and a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- || The Comeback
Though many performers from the 1930s and 1940s saw their careers decline as rock and roll grew to dominate the airwaves and draw young audiences, Frank Sinatra made his comeback by returning to the roots that brought him success in the first place. He'd seen what crass commercialism could do to someone's career. Rather than surrender to new cultural shifts, Sinatra scornfully dismissed rock as a "rancid-smelling aphrodisiac" and continued to make music his own way. With the help of friends who refused to believe his career was over, Sinatra got a new record contract with Capitol in 1953. He weathered the brief career slide during the 1950s and emerged more popular than ever. Sinatra was known as a tireless performer who used his vast array of talents to reach audiences through his music and film performances. "You have to scrape bottom," he told a friend, "to appreciate life and start living again."
