Some Essential Sinatra.

One of the most thrilling moments of my life occurred in Chicago in the 70s. On Saturday mornings, when I had recently graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee and living in a campus area apartment, I would listen to the Roy Leonard Show on WGN out of Chicago. One morning, Roy had a movie trivia contest. I called in -- and I won! I won two tickets to see Frank Sinatra in concert in Chicago. That was fantastic but it got even better when my date and I arrived at the theater. We were smack dab in the front row, a few feet away from the stage.

Sinatra, radiating charisma, was in terrific voice with a full orchestra behind him. I was in Heaven. My date and I seemed to be the youngest couple in that sold out audience. As Sinatra was taking his bows to a standing ovation after one of his encores, he looked at me in the audience and motioned me over to shake his hand before he walked into the wings. I felt my soul leave my body. The experience was the awesome.

When I was a kid growing up in Los Angeles, a local radio station had.a weeknight program called "Sinatra at Seven." At 7pm, the host would play a half-hour of recordings by Frank Sinatra. I loved that show and was a regular listener -- yes, even though I was in high school. The singer/actor was a revered talent in our household.

I think it's time we were reminded of what a supreme singer he was. Here are four cuts of his from movies he did.  "All My Tomorrows" is a song he sang in his 1959 comedy, A HOLE IN THE HEAD. 

Frank Sinatra gave one of his strongest film performances in the 1920s era drama, THE JOKER IS WILD. He introduced the song, "All The Way," in that 1957 release and it was a big hit for him. "All The Way" won the Oscar for Best Song.

Cole Porter penned all the tunes heard in the 1956 MGM musical comedy, HIGH SOCIETY. It's a musical version of the 1940's THE PHILADELPHIA STORY with Frank Sinatra taking on the role originally done onscreen by James Stewart and Grace Kelly taking on the role first done by Katharine Hepburn. I love this Cole Porter tune, "Mind If I Make Love To You."

I close it out with Sinatra being ultimately cool as the bad boy nightclub crooner/ladies' man in 1957's PAL JOEY co-starring Rita Hayworth as a wealthy widow. Here he sings "The Lady Is A Tramp." 

And there you have it. I hope you liked my picks for some Essential Sinatra.