The Best of the Best – The life and work of Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra is one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century and an artist whose timeless music is still celebrated worldwide. It has been more than a hundred years since he was born and over twenty years since he passed away. But Sinatra's star still seems to shine bright, as new generations continue to discover the magic of his music. In honour of all of his successes, today we want to take a look at the turbulent and exciting life of Frank Sinatra. We'll talk about some of his biggest successes in music and on the big screen.

Flawed, But Extraordinary Life
Sinatra's bad boy image was very real, and his exciting life still stirs up much interest among his fans. He was married four times, including a few high-profile marriages to Mia Farrow and Ava Gardner. He also had a few hobbies that cemented this persona in the public eye. A huge fan of gambling, Sinatra liked to play often while performing in Las Vegas. So much so, that in 1960, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and a few other associates purchased the famous Cal Neva Lodge & Casino.

Located on the border between Nevada and California, Cal Neva rose to extreme popularity under Sinatra, which gradually increased his ownership of the place. The Sinatra period of Cal Neva saw extravagant around the clock parties and visits from Hollywood celebrities. Even today, with the popularization of online gambling, top casino sites in UK and all over the world often try to imitate the Vegas glitz and glamour Sinatra's period was so recognizable for.

His contemporaries note that he also had an impeccable sense of style. He used to spend large amounts of money on custom-tailored suits and tuxedos, which helped him give all to the audience he was performing. Despite having a flawed and troubled past, Sinatra was also known as a great gentleman. Many of his friends, including fellow actor like Cary Grant, have stated that Sinatra is one of the most honest people they've ever met.

The emergence of "The Voice" and Iconic Music Career
Early in his career, Frank Sinatra was quickly given the nickname "The Voice", due to his recognizable vocals and singing talent. He released his debut album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra, in 1946. Despite garnering a teen idol status, Sinatra's career stalled in the early years, and he didn't see much professional success for close to a decade. All of this changed with the success of From Here to Eternity, a movie which garnered him an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. After the success of the movie, Sinatra released several highly-acclaimed albums.

After releasing massively-popular albums In the Wee Small Hours (1955), Come Fly with Me (1958) and Nice' n' Easy (1960), Sinatra started his own record label, Reprise Records. His star didn't diminish at all over the years, as both old and new, younger music fans continued to listen to him even in his later years. Even at the age of 77, in 1993, Sinatra released "Duets", a collection of his 13 famous songs, he rerecorded with music superstars like Barbara Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett and Liza Minnelli.

Sinatra's last performance in concert was in 1995 at the Palm Desert Marriott Ballroom in California. After a career that spanned over five decades, Frank Sinatra faced his final curtain as one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. While he never learned how to read music, he had an excellent understanding of it from a very young age. His talent, along with hard work and dedication to perfectionism, helped him to improve all aspects of his music. Sinatra's love and passion for music can be seen from his own words: "When I sing, I believe. I'm Honest."

Further Acting Recognition
From Here to Eternity was Sinatra's most critically acclaimed movie and one that helped him regain the spotlight and cement his place as a true star of the entertainment industry. After receiving overwhelmingly positive reception, Sinatra went on to forge a highly successful career as a film actor in the next decade and a half. Some of his most popular films include The Man with the Golden Arm, The Manchurian Candidate and Tony Rome.

He also performed in several highly-acclaimed musicals. The most notable ones include Guys and Dolls, High Society and Pal Joey, for which he won another Golden Globe award. During his rich career, Sinatra was the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He is considered to be one of the greatest singers of the 20th century and an icon of the mid-century entertainment industry.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons