[BubbaHeel]

Dude, I don't have time to reply to the all of the silliness you just wrote, but just as a for instance, this little tidbit

Sousa was a 19th century figure. His last popular song was composed in 1909. And he was not noted as a performer.

is utter and complete nonsense.

You need to re-acquaint yourself with the first quarter of the 20th century:

http://www.dws.org/sousa/content/view/32/39/
http://www.dws.org/sousa/content/view/20/28/

PS: Frank Sinatra was a tone-deaf womanizing Sicilian crook who couldn't sing his way out of a paper bag.

In absolute terms, he was quite possibly the WORST major pop singer of the 20th century [and that's saying something, considering that the competition for dead last includes people like Madonna Louise Ciccone, Courtney Love, Britney Spears, Liza Minelli, and Barbara Streisand].

[wideawake]

Dude, I don't have time to reply to the all of the silliness you just wrote

Translation: your gut wants to disagree with me, but your brain isn't up to the task.

is utter and complete nonsense

Sousa was a conductor, not a performer. No one bought records to hear his voice or listen to him playing an instrument.

They bought them for his compositions and arrangements.

Frank Sinatra was a tone-deaf womanizing Sicilian crook who couldn't sing his way out of a paper bag.

He wasn't tone deaf - I think Nelson Riddle is more of an authority on Sinatra's musical facility than you are - and his singing - particularly his phrasing - was absolutely masterful.

I'm hardly alone in that assessment, and it's not the assessment merely of amateurs like myself, but also professionals. If one believes that Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, Ray Charles, and Tony Bennett know what singing is about, then you're just wrong.

[wideawake]

Also, perhaps you are prejudiced against Sicilians, but Frank Sinatra was an American, not a Sicilian.

i'm not sure why being a Sicilian would have anything to do with one's singing prowess.