Recently, I saw actor Robert Davi on Fox News RedEye. He apparently has put together a musical tribute to Sinatra, whom he idolizes. I don't know if he simply does Sinatra songs "his way", or if he actually sounds like Sinatra. I'd like to hear him to find out.
IMO, Sinatra at his best sounds almost operatic. The breath control, and the diaphragm support, the daring high notes he reaches, all add up to a powerful delivery. I am mainly speaking of The Capitol Years, which shows Sinatra at his best.
I have not heard about Davi’s plan. Lippia does Sinatra tunes and some other songs to try to avoid being listed as a clone. I like his versions of Night & Day, the song about I Know How The Lady In the Harbor Feels, and a few others. I think he sounds like Sinatra in his late 30s and early 40s.
The story was Lippia’s dad sent a cassette to one of Sinatra’s old arrangers. The guy found the tape in his Caddy and put it on. He wondered why Frank was singing with such a bad band - probably a kareoke tape.
This guy an two Sinatra old timers flew to Hollywood FL to see Lippia in a club with a decent band, not a full band. They said they closed their eyes and thought it was Frank.
The story may have had some PR embellishment but he is good.
Frank worked hard to achieve that skill.