Frank lives on

The man who has been called “the most compelling entertainment industry figure of the 20th century” died at 82 last week. Just when a lot of his original fans might have thought that singers like Frank Sinatra (and Tony Bennett) had finally had their day, music from the 1940s and 1950s is enjoying an unprecedented renaissance. So while Frank may be gone, his music has just recently achieved a truly classic popularity that guarantees it will live long into the millennium.

His career, as a singer, actor, fighter and lover is simply unmatched by any other entertainer. Those who have followed his life from the early years know that it had its ups and downs, from his beginning in the big band era of the 1930s right through to the early 1990s before his health began to fail. Most people have forgotten, but Sinatra actually did retire, in 1971. His retirement lasted about two years.