Jazz and History

(26) Idol is coming


Frank Sinatra(1915-1998)


Harry James(1916-1983)


Tommy Dorsey(1905-1956)

At last, here comes Frank Sinatra.

At age of fifteen, he decided to become a singer when he was listening to Bing Crosby singing and he made debut in 1939 as an exclusive singer for Harry James and his Orchestra.

Next year, 1940, Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra which was most popular at that time picked out Sinatra; then, he becomes a singer called first "idol".

In fact, Sinatra took an audition, and he took position in Tommy's band's exclusive singer.

By the way, in Japan, idol's stereo type is small, lovely girl, but Sinatra is the original of teen's idol.

Recently, Reader's Digest reproduced a CD that Sinatra was singing in Harry's Band in 1939. Sinatra's voice in this CD quite differs from that we know now. Many people may not recognize Sinatra in this CD, even told so.

[translated by Mariko Ukawa]


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