DECEMBER 12, 1915 - MAY 14, 1998
Hello Death Watchers. Unfortunately, the reason you are here is that on
May 14, 1998 at approximately 10:50 p.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time, Francis
Albert Sinatra died after suffering a heart attack. Sinatra, as you all must
know, was a brilliant singer, an accomplished actor, a true celebrity and
an icon of twentieth century culture. But, above all else for Matt and Steve,
Sinatra was an idol and an example.
On December 12, 1915 a scrawny runt of a baby was born in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The story is that this little newborn was believed to be dead and was run
under cold tap water before anyone realized it was alive. Of course this
presumed stillborn baby would grow up to be one of the most, if not THE MOST,
influential entertainers of the twentieth century. It was this tender beginning,
this overcoming adversity, this spitting in the face of what THEY THOUGHT,
that would define Frank Sinatra for the rest of his life.
You'd think the kid was cool, like a "Summer Wind." Not so! In fact, the
young Francis got his butt kicked a few times for being too well dressed
and to fastidious about his appearance. That is a trait that would stick
with Sinatra until the end; a trait indicative of the many first generation
Americans living in U.S. cities at the time. They wanted their children to
look good...to learn....to be Americans.... to do the things they could not.
Goodness, Frank's parents could not imagine........they could never have
dreamed.
These childhood Hoboken experiences, both good and bad, helped mold the young
Francis into both a tough, street wise guy and a sharp, respectful gentleman
(a combination that may seem impossible today). Of course, it is exactly
that combination that made Sinatra such a hero to so many people. A well
dressed man who respected all women, who knew the value of friendship, who
was never afraid to lend a helping hand and, who at the same time, would
be pleased as punch to knock your lights out (or have them knocked out) if
you deserved it.
In 1933 Frank went to see a fella named Bing Crosby sing. Sinatra left determined
to be a singer. But, unlike so many of us who dream and never do, Frank saw
no boundaries between his dreams and his realities. By 1939 Sinatra was singing
in a band for $65 a week. Within a year he joined up with a certain trombonist
named Dorsey and his talent was quickly shown to the American people.
As was the case with most everything he did, Sinatra worked to be the best
singer he could. He studied singing. He developed his lungs by running, swimming,
and practicing breathing. He was determined to be the best. He was cautious
what he sang and what arrangements he opted for. In short, he became a superstar.
His stellar voice, his wonderful arrangements, his choice of music, his stage
presence and his personal demeanor combined to give THE MAN a following that
he could not (and would not) shake.
All was great for Old Blue Eyes, or so one would think. But, as is often
the case in the fickle world of show-biz, he fell from grace. Having cut
numerous albums and performed in numerous movies, Sinatra fell out of favor
with the Hollywood elite. The war had ended (WWII) and a new age was dawning.
Tastes were changing and the proper, respectful attitude of the first half
of the century was yielding to a prosperous, experimental time of growth.
There was no place for a Frank Sinatra.........or was there.
Frank was no fool nor was he born to lose. He was a fighter. But, he was
down and out. Often black-balled and maligned by so-called friends, he
plugged on. Most of us would have let it go and moved on to "normal" mundane
lives. Of course, most of us are not Francis Albert Sinatra. Although the
rumors run deep on how it occurred, the fact is Frank landed an Oscar winning
role in "From Here To Eternity" and followed it up with stellar performances
in the "Man With The Golden Arm" and "The Manchurian Candidate." Guess who
was working their way back up!
Well, the late 1950's and early 1960's saw Frank rise back up, and up...and
up......up............up. His music, his dedication and his sheer, outright
talent could not be ignored. By the 1960's Sinatra was back on top and he
would never-ever fall again..."There's only one way to go, and that's up!"
The 1970's and 1980's treated Frank well. So many tours, so much wonderful
music, so many beautiful friendships. It was the 1940's and 1950's that defined
the man as a brilliant performer. It was the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's that
defined Sinatra as a colorful, endearing, controversial, but always respectful
human.
Unfortunately, Frank's health went south in the early 1990's (though some
indication had surfaced before that). He wasn't seen as much, though he did
cut two albums with pop stars during this period. By the 1995/1996 time frame
rumors of poor health and possible terminal conditions ran rampant in the
media. In true Sinatra fashion his family respectfully denied the claims
and asked that the public just let The Chairman have some space. On May 14,
1998, the end arrived. Sinatra suffered a heart attack and passed forward
beyond the world that treated him both beautifully and cruelly. In his place
he leaves an emptiness that we at the O.B.E doubt another person will ever
fill.
In the end kiddos it comes down to this: Lots of folks become celebrities
'cause they sing well, can act well, they discover or invent something wonderful,
or they are some major political persona (and, believe it or not, we really
do respect that). However, Francis Albert Sinatra became famous for singing
and acting but became a celebrity, no AN ICON, for being a human in every
sense of the word. He became known for his voice but well known for his attitude.
He was liked for his performances but LOVED for his friendships, his generosity
and his kindness. He was a stand-up man in a world of slouch down boys. In
the end, we may never live the rich, free, full life he had...but damn-it-all
if we can't try to have the dignity this guy did. 'Cause quite frankly, that
is what it is to be a human.
Hey, sorry if we got a little soft on you Death Watchers, but Frank really
holds a warm spot for the O.B.E. It takes a certain type of sick delusion
to do up a web page like ours. But, that doesn't make us devoid of the ability
to recognize greatness when we see it.
