Anyone who has listened to a greasy-haired uncle pontificate on the “pure class” of “Mr. S” can attest that Frank Sinatra inspires a level of idolatry unusual even for a celebrity. For those of us of a younger generation, his legacy is not always as vivid – defined as much by his tough-guy demeanor and Jerry Lewis Telethon appearances as his music. As a millennial skeptic, I ask: what is it, exactly, that keeps Sinatra so close to my greasy uncle’s heart?
![Seven performers do a take on Frank Sinatra in the Drayton Festival Theatre show that opens May 8.[submitted]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/arts.jpg)
“I’m going to say talent, number one, because he had the respect of the entire industry throughout his career,” said David Rogers, director of Drayton Festival Theatre’s tribute show, The Songs of Sinatra.
“When he first started out, people didn’t even know what he looked like, only from record covers, so he was truly ‘the voice.’ When he started out, we didn’t have YouTube and television and videos – we had radio, and that’s where we learned about Frank Sinatra.”
Fair point, and The Songs of Sinatra, which opens May 8, will give us millennial skeptics plenty of opportunity to consider the range of Sinatra’s career. The seven-man ensemble goes through the whole or part of nearly 50 songs from all stages of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ life, from the teen idol who sang “Jeepers Creepers” in the ‘40s to the “Strangers in the Night” balladeer of the ‘60s to the white-haired elder statesman who brought gravitas to “My Way” in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
“I was a fan of his music,” said Rogers, “but the more I researched him and listened to his music, I learned things, like he really did songs in one take. Those were the days when there was no editing, no pitch control, and when you listen to it, wow, he was a master.”
Not to say that his persona didn’t play a role in his appeal, of course. “He did become ‘the boss,’ ‘the chairman of the board’ – people just respected him,” said Rogers. “He was who every man wanted to be: he had the great-looking women around him all of the time, and he had his buddies, and he was the epitome of that era. Even the way he dressed.”
Kevin Forestall, George Krissa, Graham Parkhurst, Adam Francis Prouxl, Chris Sams, Michael Vanheval, and Chris Zonneville perform as the “Sinatra Seven,” but while Sinatra is a popular subject of impersonators, don’t expect them to put on a fedora and throw their jackets over their shoulders.
“I told the boys to have a listen to Sinatra, as much as you can – listen, listen, listen – and then when it comes time to put the show together, stop listening because we don’t want to imitate him,” said Rogers.
“We want the flavour of Sinatra, we want the feel of Sinatra, but don’t try to do what he does because nobody can.”
While Sinatra didn’t write songs, his voice had a way of colonizing them. How often do you think of Paul Anka when you think of ‘My Way’? Rogers and the Sinatra Seven have made a conscious effort not to compete.
“For ‘My Way,’ I said, ‘Well, nobody can sing this as a solo, so let’s do it as a seven-part harmony – an anthem to Frank Sinatra.’ That just blows the audience away, when younger guys who probably didn’t even know the song when they were growing up are singing this great tune.”
The Songs of Sinatra runs from May 8 to June 1, eight shows per week, at the Drayton Festival Theatre. Tickets range from $20 to $40, and can be purchased by calling 519-638-5555, at www.draytonfestivaltheatre.com, or at the theatre box office, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
