Sinatra, Frank

Francis Albert Sinatra was one of the greatest figures in the history of American entertainment and pop culture. Born December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey, he developed an early interest in music, becoming proficient as a singer and arranging for bands by his teens. He soon dropped out of high school to pursue a career in music. Following the exposure resulting from a successful appearance on the then-popular Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show, he came to the attention of Harry James, who hired him to front his big band. During a 1939 performance with Sinatra in attendance, James called on him to join the band for a tune, and Sinatra called Star Dust, acquitting himself quite well without a chart to use. As the James band did not have vocal arrangements to use with Sinatra, James had Andy Gibson get to work on some, with My Buddy being among the first serious, professional charts Sinatra would sing. While he gained experience and released his first records with James, they did not sell well and he soon grew frustrated with the James band and left to join Tommy Dorsey, with whom he had his first huge successes. Seeing his popularity begin to skyrocket, Sinatra soon felt the need to become a solo artist, and left Dorsey, taking arranger Axel Stordahl with him; this would be the first of several very close relationships Sinatra would enjoy with arrangers over the years.

During the World War II era, he became a sensation, earning the nickname "The Voice" and gaining a following of young women that would presage the later crazes for Elvis and the Beatles. By 1946 he was topping the charts, selling millions of records, and also receiving serious acclaim for the quality and depth of his work. Tastes change however, and by the late 1940s he was suffering a significant decline in popularity. Exacerbated by the death of his publicist George Evans and the breakup of his marriage as the 1950s began, it was hard for many to believe how far Sinatra had sunk, but it would have been truly impossible to envision the future heights he would reach. By late 1951 his performances were often poorly attended, and Columbia, the label on which he became a superstar, dropped him.

Sinatra was also a successful actor, and he believed a part in the film From Here to Eternity would begin a career revival; it did, and remarkably so. The 1953 film was hugely popular and Sinatra won an Oscar for best supporting actor. He had also signed with Capitol Records, and began what was to be the most significant collaboration of his career with arranger Nelson Riddle. After the legendary first session, which included "I've Got the World on a String," Sinatra was shocked at how well Riddle seemed to understand his abilities, ideas, and aspirations. Riddle knew how to treat dynamics beautifully, and how to craft an arrangement in order to allow the singer to clearly be the star while at the same time giving him rich, creative backing. They recorded a series of albums, including In the Wee Small Hours, Songs For Swingin' Lovers, and A Swingin' Affair, that both defined the genre and turned Sinatra into a massive superstar.

As the 1960s dawned, desiring more creative power and independence, Sinatra formed Reprise Records, which became another huge success for him, signing many other successful artists as well as being his recording home. He began working with other arrangers, hiring Don Costa, who had a great mind for commercial success in various genres. He also worked with the Count Basie Orchestra and Quincy Jones during this period, their greatest success and notoriety coming from the Rat Pack era appearances at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. During the rest of the sixties, Sinatra memorably recorded with Antonio Carlos Jobim and Duke Ellington, and he continued to be an eminent presence around the world, recording and touring for the next thirty years, while receiving endless honors and accolades.

While he became one of the most famous musicians in history, and certainly had a well-publicized and colorful personal life, much is not widely known about this brilliant and complex man. He never had formal music training, but was blessed with an incredible ear and innate musical understanding which often surprised musicians he worked with. His voice was incredibly powerful, his diction precise, and perhaps no popular singer has had a more unique gift for interpreting lyrics. Classical musicians marveled at his skills, and even his conducting ability surprised those who worked with him. His combination of rare musical gifts and perfectionism, as well as his insistence on working with the best writers and arrangers, fused to create an unmatched catalog of definitive versions of many of America's greatest standards.

Sinatra had a temper, which he showed often to the world, and he could be profane, bullying, and gruff. But he also most definitely had a very serious different side as well. He was known for treating collaborators and musicians well, and was generous to a fault. Perhaps less-known is his tremendous charitable streak. Sinatra contributed generously, gave many benefit concerts, and often very quietly donated money to many causes. He was also politically active for his entire life, at first with the Democrats, and after the famous rift with JFK, the GOP. One of the most admirable parts of his character was his lifelong battle against racism. Growing up in a time and place where Italian-Americans were often heavily discriminated against, he quickly developed a visceral hatred for racism. He performed with African-American musicians during his entire career, he worshiped Billie Holiday and said that Ella Fitzgerald was the only singer he feared, and in a time when Las Vegas was much like the Jim Crow South, he fought for the rights of his close friends Sammy Davis Jr. and Count Basie and others.

Frank Sinatra passed away with his wife at his side in Los Angeles on May 14, 1998, at the age of 82. The outpouring of grief, respect, and tributes was tremendous for a figure whose only rivals among 20th century western musicians were Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles. The 100th anniversary of his birth in 2015 saw countless concert tributes as well as documentaries and major new books. This is a man whose music will be listened to as long as the world continues to turn. The voice of Sinatra in his prime is peerless-powerful and comforting, historic and vibrant; he had the rare ability to make a newly-written song instantly his own, and to breathe new life into decades-old standards while creating their definitive expressions. Jazz Lines Publications is very proud to publish dozens of his best and most important original arrangements written by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones, Billy Byers, and Don Costa. 

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CHRISTMAS SONGS BY SINATRA: EIGHT ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Earle Hagen, John P. Hicks, Ken Lane, Bill Loose, Lowell Martin, and George Siravo

Eight Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangements With Vocal Solo/Trio/Choir

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1055

$460.00

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CHRISTMAS SONGS BY SINATRA: EIGHT ARRANGEMENT SET [DOWNLOAD]

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Earle Hagen, John P. Hicks, Ken Lane, Bill Loose, Lowell Martin, and George Siravo

Eight Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangements With Vocal Solo/Trio/Choir

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1055DL

$460.00

More Info
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FRANCIS A & EDWARD K JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS SERIES: COMPLETE EIGHT ARRANGEMENT SET [DOWNLOAD]

Recorded by Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington

Arranged by Billy May and Jimmy Jones, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff and Jeffrey Sultanof

Eight Jazz Big Band Arrangements

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1016DL

$400.00

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FRANCIS A. & EDWARD K. JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS SERIES: COMPLETE EIGHT ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington

Arranged by Billy May and Jimmy Jones, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff and Jeffrey Sultanof

Eight Jazz Big Band Arrangements

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1016

$400.00

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FRANK SINATRA JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS SERIES MEGASET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones, Neal Hefti, Billy Byers, Sy Oliver, Johnny Mandel, and Don Costa

43 Jazz Big Band Arrangements With Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1030

$2,099.00

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FRANK SINATRA JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS SERIES: THIRTEEN ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Neal Hefti, Billy May, Quincy Jones, and Don Costa; Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff and Jeffrey Sultanof

Thirteen Jazz Big Band Arrangements With Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1000

$775.00

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FRANK SINATRA JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS STUDIO ORCHESTRA TEN ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones, and Don Costa

Ten Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangements With Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1053

$610.00

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FRANK SINATRA LUSH LIFE TRANSCRIPTIONS: TEN ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones, Neal Hefti, Billy Byers, Don Costa, and Ernie Freeman

Ten Jazz Big Band Arrangements With Vocal

Lush Life Music

LL-1000

$575.00

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FRANK SINATRA TWENTY ARRANGEMENT SUPERSET

As Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones, Billy Byers, Neal Hefti, and Don Costa

Twenty Jazz Big Band Arrangements With Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications and Lush Life Music

FS-1000

$1,100.00

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FRANK, DEAN, AND SAMMY: JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS RAT PACK STUDIO ORCHESTRA TWELVE ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr.

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Quincy Jones, Billy Byers, Marty Paich, and George Rhodes

Twelve Jazz Studio Orchestra With Vocal Arrangements

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1024

$650.00

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NELSON RIDDLE JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS ELEVEN ARRANGEMENT SET

As Recorded by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dean Martin

Arranged by Nelson Riddle

Eleven Jazz Big Band Arrangements/Studio Orchestra Arrangements With Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1031

$625.00

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SINATRA AT THE SANDS TEN ARRANGEMENT SET

Arranged and Conducted by Quincy Jones

Frank Sinatra With the Count Basie Orchestra

Ten Jazz Big Band Arrangements With Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications and Lush Life Music

FS-1001

$575.00

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SONGS FOR SWINGIN' LOVERS EIGHT ARRANGEMENT SET

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle

One Jazz Big Band and Seven Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangements with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-1061

$475.00

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View: ALL I NEED IS THE GIRL
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ALL I NEED IS THE GIRL

Recorded by Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington

Arranged by Billy May, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff, Jeffrey Sultanof, and Dylan Canterbury

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9060

$65.00

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ALL I NEED IS THE GIRL [DOWNLOAD]

Recorded by Frank Sinatra with Duke Ellington

Arranged by Billy May, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff, Jeffrey Sultanof, and Dylan Canterbury

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9060DL

$65.00

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ALL OR NOTHING AT ALL

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Transcribed and Adapted by Jon Harpin

Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Lush Life Music

LL-2329

$65.00

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View: ANYTHING GOES
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ANYTHING GOES

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9055

$65.00

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ANYTHING GOES [DOWNLOAD]

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9055DL

$65.00

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AT LONG LAST LOVE

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Neal Hefti, Transcribed and Adapted by Jon Harpin

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Lush Life Music

LL-2177

$65.00

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View: BEST IS YET TO COME, THE
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BEST IS YET TO COME, THE

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Quincy Jones, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff and Dylan Canterbury

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9031

$65.00

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BEST IS YET TO COME, THE [DOWNLOAD]

Recorded by Frank Sinatra with the Count Basie Orchestra

Arranged by Quincy Jones, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff and Dylan Canterbury

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9031DL

$65.00

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BLUE MOON

Recorded by Frank Sinatra; New 2017 Version With Strings

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Transcribed by Dylan Canterbury

Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9035

$65.00

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BLUE MOON [DOWNLOAD]

Recorded by Frank Sinatra

Arranged by Nelson Riddle, Transcribed by Dylan Canterbury

Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9035DL

$65.00

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BLUE SKIES

Recorded by Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

Arranged by Sy Oliver, Prepared for Publication by Rob DuBoff and Jeffrey Sultanof

Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Jazz Lines Publications

JLP-9398

$65.00

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