Then, many years later, an older co-worker suggested I listen to Sinatra's recordings from the 1950s. Vince, a very likable New Jersey guy, even was nice enough to lend me CDs of some of Sinatra's classic albums from that period. So, I listened to In the Wee Small Hours (1955), Songs for Swingin' Lovers (1956), Where Are You? (1957), Close to You and More (1957), A Swingin' Affair (1957), Only the Lonely (1958), No One Cares (1959), and Nice 'n' Easy (1960).
Wow. What great albums, full of first-rate songs performed to perfection! After appreciating these classic American recordings, I became a Sinatra fan. I began listening to a greatest hits collection from his Reprise Records era, an album I was given years earlier and hadn't bothered with. Sometime later, I bought a 3-CD set of songs he recorded for Capitol Records.
More recently, I've gained an appreciation for the weekend radio program on WNYC-FM of Jonathan Schwartz, a Sinatra aficionado who plays lots of rare and popular gems spanning Sinatra's entire 60-year career. Bob Dylan's album earlier this year of songs recorded by Sinatra is a favorite. I'm grateful for all the attention Sinatra's music and broader contribution to 20th century popular culture have generated as the 100th anniversary of his birthday is celebrated.
To those who were fortunate enough to appreciate Sinatra at a young age from their family's music collection, good for you. If you weren't lucky to have a Vince help you eventually discover Sinatra's best recordings, it's not too late. One hundred years after his birth, 17 years after his passing, Sinatra's music lives on. It continues being as accessible today as it was to his fans many years ago. And, intertwined with the fabric of the great American songbook, the sound of his voice will remain around for many, many years to come.
