JULY 23, 1998
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THEVISTA
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ight from the beginning, he was there with the truth of things in his voice. His music had a profound influence on me. He was one of the very few singers who sang without a mask. It's a sad day," said a grieving Bob Dylan when he found out that Frank Sinatra had breathed his last breath. On that cruel California day that unmasked essence of penetrating sound was silenced. Those eyes with stunning glare of contempt and compassion were shut. The great crooner has been laid to eternal rest. It has been two months now since the singer of the century died. On that May morn, he was lowered into the cold depths of the Earth with his suit, Jack Daniels, a pack of Camels, his favorite Zippo and a pocket filled with 10 dimes. He always carried the same 10 dimes so if he ever needed to talk to someone at anytime he could just use the nearest pay phone. You probably think it may have been better to write a piece on this legend closer to the time he passed away. But I'm not like all those other pseudo journalists trying to put out a shabby story as soon as possible in hopes to scoop everyone else. I think in order to put the true meaning of this legend down on paper, you have to let some time lapse before one can really understand what Sinatra means—to them, to music, and to he world. I feel as though people here don't appreciate Frank Sinatra because they think he is some fancy city boy. He may have had a lavish style but he started with nothing and worked hard everyday to lead his fortunate life. If you are going to bad mouth him about anything, don't attack his personal life. Everyone screws that up in someway. If you want to throw mud at his name, at least do it in regard to his music. You'll find that impossible to do no matter who you are. You may say he didn't sing country for the cowboys. Or, he didn't sing R+B for all of the homies. He didn't sing a single alternative song for all the Generation Xers. But that is the beauty of it all. He didn't sell out to the latest trend or fad. He kept it real and simple. He took simple words and a simple orchestra and masterfully morphed them into treasures for the nation's heart. Once you do that, why change that which is perfect? I had a chance to see him perform in Chicago about five years ago, but I didn't go. At the time, I just thought he was too old t do justice to the songs he once gave life to. Now that I look back on it, I know I should have spent price of the ticket to see him, and more importantly, hear saintly echoes of heaven blown through this prophet of po
music's windpipes. Back then I also wasn't quite as big of a fan, but I was still a fan. Everyone who knows anything about music or movies is a fan. He is the one person that no matter what your musi preference is, you can appreciate. You appreciate his wo ethic, pure talent and unprecedented charm. In fact, one day I figured out that Frank Sinatra is responsible, through a web of causation, for my existence. Now follow me here. Frank Sinatra, through help of the Mafia and unions, got John F. Kennedy elected by winning ov the states West Virginia, Illinois and Michigan. J.F.K. was then assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson took,' over and turned a little 100-man information mission in Vietnam to a 500,000-personnel police action. My father was one of the 500,000. My father caught one of Charlies' bullets in the leg. He came back home to the states and checked into physical therapy at a hospital in Los Angeles. My soon-to-be mother just happened to be working at that same hospital. Nine months later, I was born in Illinois. So, in a type of six degrees of separation, I have Frank to thank for my life. I now encourage everyone to buy a record, eight track, cassette; or CD of Sinatra's work, open an play it. Then sit back with Camel, Zippo, a bottle of your/ favorite drink and let the experiences of your life mix with the music. .4
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