Crooner Culture

(Originally posted August 2007, I want to try to get this idea rolling again!)
Okay everyone – it’s time for the first ever Crooner Culture blog project!
Here’s the skinny…
Everyone has old family photos from the 40’s and 50’s laying around somewhere. Maybe your cousin’s got them all, or your sister, or your 80 year old Uncle Joe. But they’re somewhere.
Your job is to find the photo that reminds you of the classic “crooner era” and post it on your blog, writing whatever you know about when and where it was taken, and put a link in the post to this blog …read more

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Opening Harry Connick, Jr. Crooner Week with a list of facts about the Southern crooner…

Harry’s birthday is on 9/11 (1967). His birth name is Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. and he was born in New Orleans, LA.
He’s been nicknamed “Vice-Chairman of The Board”. As you may know, Frank Sinatra is “Chairman of The Board”. What an HONOR to be equated! Apparently, Sinatra had nothing but praise for Connick, and referred to him simply as The Kid.
Gave up smoking at the insistence of fellow crooner, Mel Tormé.
He’s earned several multi-platinum and gold albums, Grammy, Tony and Emmy awards, Cable Ace, Golden …read more

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As part of b5media’s music channel list project, our theme this time around is “Top 10 artists/bands to invite to the holiday office party” and of course, I’m going to list crooners! This has to be one of those “alive or dead” things for this category, but here we go:
10. Marilyn Monroe – Yes, she’s a female crooner, and oh man, you can’t help but imagine she’d be a blast at a holiday party, maybe even drinking a Royal Stretch. I have a feeling she’d likely be the one making photocopies of her butt on the xerox machine, but what …read more

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Yay! I love this! I really don’t think I could’ve imagined a better image!
As I mentioned in the previous post about the Sinatra stamp, I used to be a stamp collector when I was a kid, and I have a set of the Audrey Hepburn stamps that came out a few years ago (2003, I believe). I need to get some frames, one for Audrey, and one for when I buy the Frank Sinatra set in May!
I have this “thing” for collecting stuff with celebrities from that era, I think. It could prove to be a faulty obsession …read more

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Today would’ve been Frank Sinatra’s 92nd birthday.
The US Postal Service is honoring him (finally) with a stamp which will be unveiled sometime later today. (The image on the left is not necessarily the image to be used on the stamp, however it’s a photo from the same time period (’50s) as the supposed image on the new stamp.)
“On behalf of our family, we are honored that the United States Postal Service has recognized our Dad’s achievements with a stamp,” said Tina Sinatra, in a statement, on behalf of her siblings, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, Jr. “Of all the awards he …read more

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I’ve listened to the samples on Amazon of this album and I’m not so sure I’m a fan just yet. I might have to buy it, and/or a couple others, but it seems to me like he’s just trying to stylize Sinatra – and IMHO that’s just not a good thing. Doesn’t mean he’s bad – the samples sound good and the “big band” appeal is totally there. The man’s got fans too, though – he’s got a radio show and a website and forum with several active users.
Here’s what Pizzarelli had to say about the album:
“I realized the …read more

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Okay, so I’m totally NOT a fan of “Cake” but when I was looking for Frank Sinatra videos, I found this thing.

Kinda boring if you ask me. But what the heck, it’s some kind of tribute, right? Sorta? Maybe? LOL

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Just wanted to post a few interesting Frank Sinatra related websites for your perusal. We all know that Ol’ Blue Eyes “never touched the stuff” (meaning the internet) but his family and fans sure have.

The Frank Sinatra Foundation – “Helping those in need was at his spiritual core.”
SINATRA: A Voice In Time (1939-1952) – This collection was released only weeks ago, on September 27, 2007.
Sinatra Family Forums – A place for family and fans to get together and chat.
TIME Magazine’s TIME 100 – Frank Sinatra – Very nice 3 page writeup, featuring covers from TIME of Frank Sinatra
Amazon At A …read more

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Two items this morning, one that floored me…
First, the last surviving member of the Rat Pack, Joey Bishop, has passed away at 89.
An adept ad-libber with a dry, underplayed sense of humor, Bishop achieved his greatest fame in the ’60s. He was master of ceremonies for President Kennedy’s inaugural gala and joined Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford for the Rat Pack’s historic “Summit” meetings on stage at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. – LA Times

This brings me to the story of the Sands in Atlantic City. Sinatra and the Rat Pack frequented the East …read more

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With today’s temperatures proposed to go into the 80’s (Yes, it’s OCTOBER and I’m in NEW YORK!) I think the boys should head out for a last round of golf, don’t you?
After 18 holes, everyone buys the best guy a drink (or is it the other way around?) and I think this recipe from TheBar would be just the perfect thing for a hot day like today. I can totally see Frank Sinatra and the boys, wearing their madras shirts or golf sweaters and caps with a golf club in one hand and one of these in the other!
A Hole …read more

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