GREG STANFORD
It is more than just subjective opinion to state that Frank Sinatra was the greatest singer of popular music that the United States has ever produced. Indeed, the point seems proved any time one listens to this magnificent artist at his best. Sinatra was blessed with a beautiful voice and that is certainly a major part of his allure, but the musicianship, phrasing, breath control, range and emotional expressiveness which inform his art further tip the balance very much in his favor.
There were several distinct phases in Sinatra’s long career. First he was a band singer notable for a smooth, lyrical sound and a way with a lyric that made him a heartthrob to millions of teen age girls That hysterical early success couldn’t last and didn’t, leading The Voice to a dark period during which his career seemed to be winding down and the voice had a somewhat darker sound to match his situation. Actually, his voice was maturing into the next phase, which proved the artistic peak of Sinatra’s career.
Beginning in 1953, he seemed to be a new Sinatra, a mature man now, but one still possessed of a gorgeous instrument. Gone was the callow sound of youth, but in its place was an even more potent sound, as his voice settled into its prime years, producing a sound without peer and still unmatched. His emotional expressiveness had also developed, raising Sinatra’s art to a previously unimagined level. It was during this period, lasting until about 1960, that Sinatra was at his absolute greatest. This was also the era when Sinatra became a major film actor, with an Oscar to prove it.
Next, as his voice very slowly declined, Sinatra developed a more jazzy approach to his uptempo material. This was Sinatra’s Chairman of the Board period, as he assumed far more control of the business side of his career while continuing to sing remarkably well for a number of years. By the late ’60’s, the vocal decline was apparent to just about anyone who listened, though the voice remained a potent one.
Sinatra retired from performing at the age of 55, but was back a couple of years later for the final phase of all, the Ol’ Blue Eyes period. He became a stadium performer. As he continued, the years continued taking their inevitable toll on his voice, but it remained a unique and expressive instrument and Sinatra was still a great live performer. He continued performing until he was no longer capable of doing so and finally retired in his late ’70’s.
All in all, it was a long, remarkable career, with plentiful highlights from each period, though again it is those years in the 1950’s at Capitol Records which most fans will agree represent the greatest of the great.