Frank Sinatra

The Voice. It wrapped itself around America and then the world but first, it won the hearts of every living, breathing member of the fair sex. None were immune, mothers and daughters, sisters and wives, especially those who stayed home during the Second World War, and dreamed their dreams, as The Voice provided the soundtrack of their lives. And then, when our soldiers returned from their duty, the sentiments he conveyed in song embodied the deep emotions that boys and men of the greatest generation had long bottled up inside, writes Charles L. Granata. The Voice was a catalyst through which, begrudgingly at first, they confronted those repressed feelings. The soul searching made them better men, and even better lovers. The consummate artistry of Frank Sinatra (December 12, 1915-May 14, 1998) was a tsunami of change in the way Americans thought about popular music and the way they regarded their stars. It was a metamorphosis that took place in three major phases: his initial development as the boyish band singer with the orchestras of Harry James (in 1939, on Columbia and Brunswick Records) and Tommy Dorsey (1940-41, recording for Victor); then his emergence as a solo artist in 1942 (on Bluebird); and finally his explosion on Columbia from 1943 to 1952. During that time he was, quite simply, among the top entertainers on the scene on records, on radio, in movies, and eventually on television and the #1 personality to everyone under age 30. For the first time in history, the merger of Sony Music and BMG Music enables the production of the first deluxe four-CD box set to encompass his music on the first formative record labels of his career, Columbia, Brunswick, Bluebird, and Victor. Contained are 80 songs among them two impossibly rare previously unreleased alternate takes (From The Bottom Of My Heart with Harry James in 1939; and All The Things You Are in 1945) and 11 previously unreleased radio airchecks spanning 1943-52 (from such shows as Songs By Sinatra, The Vimms Vitamin Show, and Lucky Strikes Your Hit Parade). In advance of next years 10th anniversary commemoration of his death, FRANK SINATRA: A VOICE IN TIME (1939-1952) will arrive in stores September 25th on Columbia/RCA Victor/Legacy, a division of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.