Frank Sinatra
USA, 1935–1995
American singer and actor, known as the Voice. His phrasing and breath control on the American Songbook repertoire set a standard for popular singing through the middle of the 20th century.
MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Frank Sinatra and 6 artists Frank Sinatra influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Frank Sinatra?
- Bing Crosby — Bing Crosby was the young Sinatra's idol and model — Crosby's intimate, microphone-based crooning was the art Sinatra set out to master and surpass.
- Tommy Dorsey — Sinatra learned his signature breath control and seamless legato phrasing from Tommy Dorsey's smooth trombone, in whose band he broke through in 1940.
- Billie Holiday — Sinatra named Billie Holiday the greatest single musical influence on him — her behind-the-beat phrasing and emotional candour shaped his own interpretation.
- Antonio Carlos Jobim — Sinatra sought Jobim out to make a full bossa nova album in 1967, softening his phrasing to the form - the record is among the most admired of his late career.
Which artists did Frank Sinatra influence?
- Bobby Darin — Sinatra's phrasing and saloon-singer cool were Darin's model for his swing period — 'Mack the Knife' and 'That's All' aimed squarely at Sinatra's turf.
- The Four Seasons — Sinatra was a hometown-hero model for the Italian-American Valli — the pop-vocal sophistication behind the group's hits.
- Lana Del Rey — The lush, orchestral saloon-song grandeur of Sinatra's era underlies Del Rey's cinematic ballads.
- Willie Nelson — Singing behind the beat, letting the voice waver against a steady band, is what Nelson took from Sinatra.
- Robbie Williams — Williams idolised Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack — his big-band album Swing When You're Winning and his 'My Way' tributes are steeped in Sinatra's phrasing and showmanship.
- Barbra Streisand — Frank Sinatra's phrasing and interpretive command of the Great American Songbook are among the touchstones behind Streisand's traditional-pop artistry.