This is a story of my “close-call” experience, “almost” meeting Frank Sinatra! Just after leaving Connie Francis office and, about the time I met Tash Howard, I had an opportunity to be an artist on the Reprise record label.
A song of mine, later in my career was recorded by Frank Sinatra Jr. and I thought to myself, meeting his world-famous father would be a highlight of my life! Stanley Kaye and Jack Bonanti were Sinatra’s staff members at his this newly formed label, “Reprise”, distributed by Warner Brothers.
The song, first released was a tune which I penned alone, lyrics and melody, ironically called, “So All Alone”. I sounded very close to the hit artists, “The Everly Brothers”, Don and Phil. These were two of the artists who I worshiped as I started out in the music business.
These artists, once again, zoomed to national notoriety by appearing on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. This was one of my closest imitations to the “Real Artists” in my career as an artist. I will have a copy soon, to play on this blog.
“Sweet Georgia Brown”, the flip side, was my own version of Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife” which is one of his biggest hits throughout his career.
One day, I was told by his staff that Frank was scheduled to meet the staff here at the office early the next afternoon. So I made sure that I arrived at the office early the next day to meet one of my biggest idols. I waited and waited and finally in the early afternoon, Stan got the phone call … he said, “Frank said he is going to stick around Jilly’s place … there are too many beautiful ‘babes’ here!” “Sorry.. maybe another time!” Frank said … WHOA .. was I let down. I was just that close to meeting the man i had admired for so many years!
I wanted to tell him that my father had played piano accompanying him at a bar in Hoboken when Frank was a young child. But I guess if I had mentioned it, he would have denied he ever lived in Hoboken at any time! (In every interview, Sinatra always said he was born in New York, (NOT HOBOKEN). He was said to be ashamed of the name!
Little did Sinatra know that, one day, the Hoboken, New Jersey Side of the Hudson River, would become a fashionable, upscale and extremely expensive place to live.
At no time did I ever got close to meeting him again. I always regretted this unfortunate situation.
Next : “My Father and Frank Sinatra!”