Introduction
Frank Sinatra was among the most popular music icons of the 20th century that influenced how today’s music is interpreted and appreciated by many people. His enduring and timeless songs remain to be enjoyed by music enthusiast from all over the world. When his friend, Bing Crosby was asked about what keeps Sinatra’s music enduring, he replied, “Frank is the only one of us who seems to get through to all age groups” (qtd in Mastrogiannis). While he never had formal music lessons, he became interested in singing at a tender age, particularly in jazz music. He started out in singing at family gatherings, and was about 20 years old when he became part of a singing group sometime in 1935, and this was the start of his colorful musical career that spanned for over fifty years.
Influence in Music
There are many people who considered Frank Sinatra as a jazz singer, specifically smooth jazz. However, during his early performances, he was referred to as a crooner because of his ballad songs that appealed largely to women audiences. He was mainly influenced by another artist of his time, Bing Crosby, who was also a crooner. He also learned a lot of his singing style and technique, by observing his peers. Specifically, Billie Holdiay had taught Sinatra how he should bend the notes at the end, and this was notable in most of the icon’s performances. A later interview with Sinatra reveals that he considered Holiday as “the greatest single musical influence on me”(Rosen, 34). It was through the example of Holiday that Sinatra learned the art of meandering around the rhythmic beat, and ingeniously stretching and trimming on syllables. By observing her singing style, Sinatra learned the art of musical seduction such as using “minute vocal shading, delicately dabbed colors, the teasing extra half-beat pause before the headlong plunge into the chorus” (Rosen, 34).
Another person who inspired Sinatra to try on a new technique in singing was Tommy Dorsey. Sinatra observed that Dorsey had “a sneak pinhole in the corner of his mouth, which he was covering with his trombone and decided to use this technique while singing” (Akalin). But the icon knew that he needed to improve on his breathing, so he ran and exercised a lot to achieve that perfect breathing technique that enabled him to take a breath without a need to break a note. Further, Dorsey also taught Sinatra to focus on the lyrics and once told him, “All that matters to Bing Crosby is the words, and that’s the only thing that should matter to you” (Akalin). This could be the reason why he performed his song with a heartfelt intensity that made his audiences want more of his songs. It was also through Dorsey, who wanted a perfect setting for the singer, that the icon was able to learn about phrasing and the different dynamics of singing in the band. Consequently, Frank made his big real hit in 1940 with his song I’ll Never Smile Again, with Dorsey’s Band. The song became very popular, and this marked the day when Sinatra rose to popularity among different audiences who wanted to see him perform.
Sinatra’s Vocal Range and Legato Style
Sinatra became known for his Legato style where he rendered his musical notes in a smooth and connected manner. He was able to apply the breathing techniques he learned from Dorsey by transitioning from note to note without the need to pause or break for silence. Sinatra was a big fan of Bing Crosby, but unlike other singers of his time, Sinatra tried to adapt a new style which was different from most of his contemporaries who emulated Crosby’s performances and style. It was through the use of his own techniques that his songs came to appeal to the listeners, as he performed songs that are full of references to love and pain and being let down. His style proved to be advantageous in earning the audience’s approval, especially the women who regarded most of his songs as objects of desire.
Another factor that propelled Sinatra’s musical career was his exceptional vocal range. According to Henry Pleasants, a musical critic, Sinatra’s voice was typical of an “Italian baritone with a two octave range from G to G, declining, as it darkened in later years, to F to F and with greater potential at the top than he was commonly disposed to exploit” (Pleasants, 195). There was a noted lightness of his breathing when he performed, which was helpful in contributing to an excellent rendition of his songs, marked by an exemplary expression and vocal longevity.
Sinatra’s Interpretation of Songs
A distinctive Sinatra style can also be noted for his phrasing technique which was impeccable; he sang in an almost faultless manner and gets into the emotion and feelings associated with a song by putting an emphasis on words. Again, this was one thing he learned from Dorsey, who stressed the need to focus on words just like Crosby. Sinatra, then made his songs appealing by making sure that he adds emotions to lines and this made the songs sound more personal. It was his perfect ability to hold long notes, and sing across vocal ranges that above which are the guaranteed his success in engaging a large number of listeners.
In an interview with Playboy magazine sometime in 1963, he was quoted as saying “You begin to learn to use the lyrics of a song as a script, as a scene. I didn’t know I was doing that at the time, but I was” (qtd in Rojek, 170). In this interview, one may find that in a way, Sinatra performed his songs like they were roles to be played, and he did with grace and authenticity. Most of his stage performances have a mark of artistic stance and the ability to calculate his moves. No one can really tell from his moves, whether the emotions he conveyed were heartfelt, or were they just a product of his artfulness, and that he was in fact “detached from the emotions he conveyed and consciously manipulated the audience” (Rojek, 170). A closer examination of Sinatra’s life would reveal that during his teenage days, he would listen to the radio and had spent hours listening to different songs. It was found that he was fond of imagining himself projecting different personalities and thinking about depicting other personalities.
Accordingly, his style of appealing to the audience is emulated by other music icons across different genres. In a study conducted by Robert Witkin, Sinatra’s performative style has been used by popular entertainment. A further explanation of Sinatra’s technique showed that a good performer, as the case of many musical icons today, can be able to come up with a soulful and sincere rendition of a song, just like a fine actor. However, that does not mean that the sentiments that are expressed are true. Nevertheless, this manner of appealing to the emotion of the audiences proved to be vital in propelling the musical career of Sinatra and other musical icons and artist for that matter.
Frank Sinatra’s Swagger
Another distinctive Frank Sinatra style was his swagging style. Coupled with his impeccable voice and sensuous rendition of his songs was his swag which sets him apart from other musical artists of his time. He did his songs and performances his way, and people love him for it.
Works Cited
Akalin, Ozgun. "Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey Band." The Frank Sinatra.com. N.p., 2011. Web. <http://www.thefranksinatra.com/articles/frank-sinatra-and-tommy-dorsey-band>.
Mastrogiannis, Nicole. "11 Artists Reveal How Frank Sinatra Has Influenced Them."IHeart Radio. N.p., 2015. Web. <http://www.iheart.com/news/11-artists-reveal-how-frank-sinatra-14193943/>.
Pleasants, Henry. The Great American Popular Singers. Simon and Schuster. 1974
Rojek, Chris. Frank Sinatra. Polity, 2004. Print.
Rosen, Jody. "They Did It Their Way." The New York Times Style Magazine n.d. 32-34. Print.
