Why Sinatra Matters

Frank Sinatra is considered, with Bing Crosby, the most important popular singer of the post-world-war-2 world, at least in the English language. Both singers credit their informal styles to the influence of Louis Armstrong. Sinatra himself, though, typified a relaxed version of the bel canto ("beautiful song") style transposed to modern times (his family had emigrated from Sicily not long before his birth). Later singers like Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Perry Como and Matt Monro would owe him a great debt for this. Beyond even style and talent would be Sinatra's contribution to the modern…