Name that tune in how many notes?
- Katherine Victoria Vananderland
- Aug 24, 2020
- 4 min read
Who is Frank Sinatra?
Lesson Plan #133
Teacher: Katherine Victoria VanAnderland, Original Copy
Date: 08/21/2020
Overview & Purpose
.One of my favorite musicians for some time he has some of the best dinner music you will ever hear. Find out who he was and what he accomplished in his time. Born on a floor of a New Jersey Apartment almost dead on arrival has become called ‘scarface’ from the way he was delivered. Learn in the Activity section facts about him and his life to answer the Ws. Who was Frank Sinatra? What did he accomplish? Why is he loved by so many Americans? When did our country notice his singing and life? Where was he from and what did he do before he died?
Education Standards
Listening Skills
Research Skills
Reading Comprehension
Objectives
Find out the Ws of Frank Sinatra’s life
What are your favorite Songs
Did frank sinatra ever go to jail
Materials Needed
Verification
Steps to check for student understanding
What is the Frank Sinatra Foundation?
What did he contribute to our world of music?
Why do you think your mother loves him so much?
Where did I eat and listen to his music all day with wine and chicken?
Activity
Find out what you can about his musical life...was he in movies? Did he have a family I don’t recall that he was married. Be CSI agents to investigate to life, the history, and the fanfare of Frank Sinatra. Write a letter to him; what would you say, What would you like to know about him?
Key Facts & Information
THE EARLY LIFE OF FRANK SINATRA
Frank Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey.
He weighed an astonishing 13.5 pounds at the time of his birth, and due to forceps being needed to get him out during his delivery, he was left with scarring on his left cheek, ear, and neck, along with a perforated ear drum.
Sinatra’s mother was born in Genoa, Italy and came to the United States shortly after she was born.
His father was born in Sicily, Italy and immigrated to Ellis Island in New York in 1903.
His father was a tavern owner, and also had a short stint as a Boxer. He also worked as a boilermaker, and served with the Hoboken Fire Department.
His mother helped out with the tavern, as well as using her bilingualism to help translate conversations between new immigrants and American officials in court proceedings. She also worked as a midwife, and was very politically active, even going as far as to chain herself to city hall in 1919 to support the women’s suffrage movement.
HIS EARLY MUSICAL CAREER
As a child, Sinatra would sing on street corners to earn money.
He was inspired by Bing Crosby and joined a local singing group (known as the Hoboken Four, pictured above), who won a talent contest in 1935 on the radio.
In the following few years, Sinatra sang with many local dance bands, as well as on radio programs. He was coached by John Quinlan to improve his speech and singing voice.
One day in 1938, while singing at his job at The Rustic Cabin in New Jersey, he was discovered and hired by a trumpeter named Sinatra stayed in the Harry James Band until 1939, when he joined the Tommy Dorsey Band.
After a while, Sinatra began recording songs by himself, including “Night and Day” and “The Song is You” in Hollywood.
In September 1942, Sinatra left the Tommy Dorsey Band on poor terms – something the two never reconciled before Dorsey’s death in 1956.
GOING SOLO
Sinatra was met with fame during his “legendary opening” at the Paramount Theatre in New York in December of 1942.
He was so popular that he performed there for several weeks and often encountered mobs of fans, and riots by young women who were not allowed into venues to see him.
During the 1940s, Sinatra was not allowed to serve in the military during World War II due to his perforated eardrum. As a result, he chose to entertain the troops on overseas tours by singing on broadcasts to troops over the radio (as pictured below).
By 1946, Sinatra was performing on stage up to 45 times per week and earning close to $100,000 each week.
Nearing the end of the 1940s, his popularity declined due to his reluctance to change up his style and evolve musically. He also endured a lot of negative press surrounding his relationships with organized-crime figures, assault, and a bout of depression.
In addition, he divorced from his first wife Nancy in 1951, had a tumultuous subsequent marriage, endured damage to his artistic credibility due to taking inauthentic musical projects, and lost his voice for several months in 1950.
THE REVIVAL OF FRANK SINATRA
Sinatra’s move into acting was partially the reason he was able to have a strong comeback in 1953.
He starred in films such as “On the Town”, “From Here to Eternity”, “Young at Heart”, and “Guys and Dolls”.
His best performance is said to have come in the film “The Manchurian Candidate” in 1962.
Sinatra signed with Capitol Records in 1953, and this was when his musical style began to change.
He was soon credited with inventing the term “concept album” – an album centred around a theme or mood.
Sinatra’s astonishing career revival was due in large part to his collaboration with Nelson Riddle, a famous composer, arranger, and orchestrator.
It was during this collaboration that Sinatra began to fine-tune his style and release monumental albums like “Songs for Young Lovers”, “Swing Easy!”, “In the Wee Small Hours”, and “Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!”
THE RAT PACK YEARS
During the early 1960s, Sinatra would often perform with other singers – Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin, who became known as “The Rat Pack”, along with Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop on occasion as well.
He also had great success with hit singles like “Strangers in the Night” (1966), “That’s Life” (1967), and “My Way” (1969).
After a brief retirement for 2 years in 1971, Sinatra returned in 1973 and began recording again.
He released some albums in the early 1990s, and was not active in films.
His final performance was on February 25, 1995 in Palm Springs, California.
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