Posted on 03/25/2022 2:38:50 PM PDT by nickcarraway
It’s a well-known fact that outlaw country hero Willie Nelson is a “huge” fan of the iconic crooner Frank Sinatra. Famously, the duo collaborated for a string of shows in Las Vegas. Showing just how far Nelson had risen since his humble Texas beginnings, Sinatra even opened for him in 1984 at the Golden Nugget Casino.
However, Nelson has admitted that he holds one regret from his friendship with the ‘My Way’ legend.
The friendship of Sinatra and Nelson first blossomed out of mutual love for the other’s craft. “Practically everything he’s recorded, I’ve loved it. I’m a huge Sinatra fan,” Nelson told Today.
When you stop to think about it, there are many parallels in the vocal delivery of both figures. Nelson’s vocal delivery contains the dulcet, powerful hues of Sinatra, which undoubtedly came from him repeatedly trying to emulate his idol as a young upstart.
Nelson has even covered Sinatra songs over the past, and of singing his hero’s songs: “I don’t think anybody expected me to sound like Frank, even though I wish I could. I don’t have that good of a voice.”
Sinatra was reciprocal in his love for Nelson. Per an account in AARP, he was known to label Nelson, his favourite musician after hearing his critically acclaimed 1978 album, Stardust, which features moments such as ‘Blue Skies’ and ‘Moonlight in Vermont’. During that same interview with The View, Nelson happily said that receiving praise from Sinatra is “as good as it gets”.
However, Nelson doesn’t remember all of his time with Sinatra so happily. His regret came after one of the life-affirming shows in Las Vegas, where Nelson was forced to forgo an opportunity that many have dreamed of.
“One night we played a show in Vegas, and he invited me by his place to hang out, and I couldn’t,” Nelson revealed to Today. “I had to get on a bus and go to LA, and I always regretted that I didn’t get to hang out with Frank.”
It’s unclear what pressing issue was pulling Nelson to Los Angeles, as anyone in their right mind would have dropped what they were doing in an instant, and headed straight over to Sinatra’s place. To have been in the company of Sinatra was one thing, but to be invited to his place to hang out is a different matter entirely.
We can only presume that whatever Nelson had to do was serious. To kick back with Sinatra and be regaled of the swinging days of the Rat Pack would have been incredible. There’s no wonder that Nelson kicks himself.
Listen to Willie Nelson’s cover of Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ below.
I also remember Sinatra saying that Tony Bennett was the ‘best’ singer he had ever heard. I do not know how Willie Nelson snuck into the picture. ;-)
Nat King Cole was a great singer, but he was an accomplished musician before he ever sang. He was a jazz pianist, leading his own creditable jazz trio before he was a singer. In a way, it's a shame the demand for him singing interfered with that path.
That's an understatement. Still, I like a lot of Willie Nelson's music although, generally speaking, I don't like country music.
From your post it seems you don’t know what ‘off-key’ means
“From your post it seems you don’t know what ‘off-key’ means.”
“Off-Key” = if he was supposed to sing a Middle C, for example, he sang a little higher than Middle C or a little lower than Middle C or maybe an easier explanation would be that he sang ‘sour notes.’
I do not know if Tony Bennett was the best. I agree with you, though, about Dean Martin. He hit the notes he was supposed to hit, but, as you say, Sinatra’s musicians were always top notch. ;-)
Frank Sinatra and George Strait duet, Fly Me To The Moon
What percentage of time was he off pitch?
How far off pitch was he?
How old was he in your recording?
How many tracts did you analyze?
Were the instruments on the same track?
Were the notes wavering?
What percentage of each note was off pitch?
What other artists did you analyze?
What is your bias against them?
;-) As I have already stated, all of the audio equipment AND the documentation were lost in a house fire in 1993. I cannot recall all of the answers to all of the questions which you have asked because the DOCUMENTATION BURNED IN A HOUSE FIRE. If you think that I can remember the finer details of tests performed 30 to 40 years ago and you think that YOU would remember them then your memory is a lot better than mine.
“What is your bias against them?”
Against who? I have no bias against Sinatra, I repeat, the spectrum analyzer did this, not I. I like Sinatra’s music but it certainly is not for his voice. Dean Martin, on the other hand, sang the notes which he was supposed to sing. In that regard I consider him to be an excellent singer and a better singer than Sinatra.
For example, Bob Dylan’s ‘singing’ was a total disaster. He could not carry a tune in a paper bag. H sang a song named, “Signs” where he was obviously singing sour notes but I like the song.
A lady named Jennifer Holiday had the purest singing voice of anyone who I remember analyzing.
Ray Charles was another disaster.
With all of that said, I think that I have found a recording of Sinatra whereby he is obviously singing sour notes and you may be able to actually HEAR his sour notes without a spectrum analyzer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agdPHEywUcM
In fact there are many videos of Sinatra with the same band. In ALL of them, spare none, Sinatra hits sour notes. Further, analysis of his recordings of the 1940s show this same penchant for singing sour notes. I even remember an interview with someone who questioned his voice. His response was, paraphrased, “Well, yes, but my intonations, inflections and enunciation is/are better than anyone else.” He, himself, said this! ;-)
However, here is the bottom line. Your feelings are obviously hurt and I have to believe that you are Italian-American. I find it particularly sad that you would get your feelings hurt because of a spectrum analysis. ;-)
” Dean Martin, on the other hand, sang the notes which he was supposed to sing.”
Wrong notes or off-pitch? Apples and oranges.
Now I am waiting for you to say that Sinatra was right and all of his bands were playing the wrong notes! ;-)
“Now I am waiting for you to say that Sinatra was right and all of his bands were playing the wrong notes! ;-)”
Again, you implying he was off-key singing the wrong notes.
“Again, you implying he was off-key singing the wrong notes.”
You need to get a sense of humor. ;-)
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