The Sinatra Century

Frank Sinatra. Public domain photo.

2015 could very well be called The Year of Sinatra in the pop culture world, with cities and countries across the globe hosting events honoring the would-be 100th birthday (Dec. 12) of one of the world’s most beloved entertainment icons, Frank Sinatra.

From a star-studded Grammy tribute last weekend and art exhibitions across the nation to the release of re-mastered LPs, previously unreleased recordings, videos and books, the world has gone above and beyond to honor a man whose six-decade career included performing on more than 1,400 recordings and being awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of America. He also boasts 60 film appearances and the production of eight motion pictures to his credit.

Despite the hype of this big anniversary, there is one person who hardly notices the change in tunes – Birch Creek faculty member Bob Chmel, who has been the drummer for Frank Sinatra’s son, Frank Sinatra Jr., for nearly forty years. It’s a gig that includes regular “Sinatra Plays Sinatra” concert performances, during which Frank Sinatra Jr. performs his father’s songs with the backing of an eight, 20 or 36-piece band.

In the anniversary year, the already popular show has become a well-rounded representation of Frank Sr.’s life.

“Since the 100th birthday came up, Frank Jr. added videos and pictures and things like that of the family and Frank, and talks about Frank Sr.’s not only good times but the lousy times when he was dropped by the record company Columbia back in 1952 and all the stuff with Ava Gardner, so there were some down times in his life,” Chmel said. “Frank Jr. talks about all that. It’s quite a good show.

“We play the original charts and Frank Jr. is very good,” he added. “He’s not just another singer; he knows when there’s a wrong note in the ensemble, and he plays piano. He’s a good guy to have for a singer.”

But Chmel doesn’t just enjoy the opportunities he’s had to play with the only son of the legendary singer – he enjoys the memories of playing with Frank Sinatra Sr. as well.

“I played with him a couple times. His drummer was there for a long time – Irv Cottler was his name and he was with Frank 35 or 40 years and he got sick coming back once from Europe so I subbed there,” Chmel said. “A couple times, with Frank Sr. or Frank Jr., we might’ve been in the same town at the same time… and Frank would have us all go meet his father and we might all go out to dinner. I met him a few times – always very nice to the guys in the band. If you played for him, you wouldn’t go up and say, ‘Hi Frank,’ he would have to come up and talk to you and then you could talk with him, but you didn’t bother him. There was always a big entourage around him so you could hardly get close to him anyway.”

Living in Las Vegas, Chmel attests to how big a deal 2015 is in the world of Sinatra’s fans and families – he points out the televised specials, the throngs of Frank Sinatra impersonators booking gigs, and for his own group, a Dec. 12 performance with Frank Sinatra Jr. in a Beverly Hills theater.

“He was just a great entertainer and the people liked him. He was a movie star and almost larger than life sometimes and with that Rat Pack deal, he just always seemed to be in the news and always happening,” Chmel said. “Of course he was a great musician because all the musicians talk about his phrasing and just the way he enunciated and the way he sang. He certainly had an individual voice; you can always pick out his voice and that’s kind of one thing I look for in singers – there are a zillion singers but very few that you can kind of really pick out instantly.”

Sinatra would undoubtedly be pleased with the attention being showered upon his legend by the masses. After all, it was Ol’ Blue Eyes himself who once toasted, “May you all live to be 100 years old and may the last voice you hear be mine!”