Frank Sinatra

Choosing one label for Old Blue Eyes is like trying to coax perfect little spheres of liquid mercury into one vessel: so many tiny balls bouncing in all directions. There is, however, one adjective that does the job: captivating. From his debut with the Harry James band in 1939 until his death in May, 1998, Sinatra captivated audiences with his voice, his persona and his liaisons, and his transformation from skinny little crooner to heartthrob and Chairman of the Board was both the stuff of dreams and only to be expected. In an almost 50-year career that spanned singing, the silver screen and television, Sinatra's pals ranged from the Rat Pack and the rich and famous to the dubious. He sang tunes from toe-tapping to touching at venues humble and presidential and his albums and films set standards in wartime and post-war for youth who grew up to become the working, the wistful and the wise.