(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

JANUARY 1985: Once again, before a political event—this time the presidential inaugural gala—the press attacked Frank Sinatra. The Washington Post dredged up in a rather desperate fashion the old boring, unfounded accusations of Mob connections. And with Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. in town along with a group of Reagan's Hollywood friends, the New Republic, wanting its fair share of the headlines, called it "the Rat Pack inauguration."

JANUARY 18, 1985: He performed at Vice President George Bush's inaugural program. When asked by reporters about the incidents with the press, Bush said, "Leave him alone. Just leave him alone!" My father finally snapped at one interviewer but spoke to all the disreputable ones when he said, "You're dead. You're all dead for me." When I asked my dad what he meant, he told me, "They simply don't exist for me anymore."

JANUARY 12–18, 1978: Another week at Caesars.

JANUARY 15–21, 1976: He kicked off the new year with a week at Caesars... [See January 15th]

JANUARY 10–22, 1975: Back at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

JANUARY 5–FEBRUARY 1, 1966: Frank Sinatra and Count Basie at the Sands in Las Vegas... [See January 5th]

JANUARY 15–28, 1958: FS played two weeks at the Sands.

JANUARY 18, 1952: FS appeared as a guest on the Martin and Lewis television show.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

JANUARY 19, 1989: Performed at President Bush's Inaugural Gala in Washington D.C., at the Convention Center.

JANUARY 19, 1985: Dad performed at the Presidential Inaugural Gala, "We the People," which he also produced. The Gala came off without a hitch.

Left: Frank tried to set up a tour of Russia but things didn't work out. At the
Reagan Inaugural Gala, a bit of Russia embraces him—Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Right: President Reagan, Nancy and Frank at the 1985 Inaugural Gala.

JANUARY 19, 1983: Don Costa had passed away, and the sessions he was working on with Dad were canceled.

LETTER TO NIKKA: (DON COSTA'S DAUGHTER)

January 31, 1983

Dear Nikka,

I've purposely waited these few days to give you time to dry your tears and start to live in a world without your father...that dear, decent and talented man.

Not that the tears will ever stop when you remember how you love him, but at least the storm of your crying is over. And thanks to our wise and loving God, while there always will be some tears, hopefully the rest will come only in scattered showers. Maybe time doesn't completely heal all wounds but at least it softens them. We can thank God for that too.

Your father was one of the finest and dearest men I ever knew. I pray for him every day. Every hour of every day. He helped me more than you'll ever know. Without his talents, his friendship, and his genius, my life would have been a lot different. For the worse, I might add.

When my own mother died a few years ago I thought I'd never get over the sadness. I'm sure you think that way now after your father's death. So I want to tell you how I manage to keep on living. I live a little of every day for my mother. A quiet prayer now and then. A kind deed she would have been proud of. Happy memories of her whenever I close my eyes. All these help me. And they will help you, Nikka. I promise you that.

And don't forget how painful these days are for your mother. For your wonderful mother. She lost a good man too. You can help her. You can help her more than anyone in the world. And I know you will. And I know your father will smile on you for helping her. Sometimes think of it this way. We're all better people because we knew and loved Don. I'm a better man because of him. Let's remember that always. Both of us. And remember this also, Nikka dear, he's happy where he is now—in that beautiful land of eternity. Where he will live forever and ever in peace and where we will see him again when God calls us.

I love you Nikka.

Uncle Frank

JANUARY 19, 1981: Confirming his switch to the Republican Party, though still a registered Democrat, Frank Sinatra produced the Inaugural Gala for President-elect Ronald Reagan at the Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland. My father invited the Washington-area families of the Iran hostages to the rehearsal. The hostages were released on January 20. The Gala was a tremendous success. In a letter dated January 23, President Reagan wrote, "...I still feel the magic of the 'Gala.' And it truly was magic. For a time Nancy and I both thought maybe we were the only ones who felt the spell. We know now it was felt by everyone. We can never thank you enough for all that you did. This certainly wasn't just another benefit. It was produced, and masterfully so. Every minute was sheer magic and that was due to you." Later, Frank was appointed to The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

President Reagan's Inaugural Gala at
the Capitol Center in Maryland.

JANUARY 15–21, 1976: He kicked off the new year with a week at Caesars... [See January 15th]

JANUARY 10–22, 1975: Back at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

JANUARY 19, 1973: On the night before Nixon's inauguration, Dad and Barbara attended a cocktail party at Washington's Fairfax Hotel. Cheshire was in the crowded lobby. [Gossip columnist Maxine Cheshire; see January 1973] Barbara remembered: "She was harassing me in the hotel. I don't remember the questions and your father heard her. But she just kept baiting Frank as we were walking toward the door. She had a drink in her hand. He was polite at first, saying, 'Please leave us alone.' She kept hammering at him and he said, 'Will you back off and leave us alone.' But she kept baiting him the entire time. And Frank said, 'Please back off.' But she still kept picking at him and he turned and he said, 'You're nothing but a two-dollar broad. That's all you're worth. That's all you'll ever be worth.' And he stuffed two one-dollar bills in her glass. He should have socked her in the nose. I thought he was wonderful for the way he put her down. Henry Kissinger called the next day and said, 'Frank, you overpaid her.'"

JANUARY 5–FEBRUARY 1, 1966: Frank Sinatra and Count Basie at the Sands in Las Vegas... [See January 5th]

JANUARY 19–20, 1961: Though deeply troubled by the Kennedys' treatment of his friend Sammy [see December 1960], the inaugural celebration was a milestone event for my father, not only as a lifelong Democrat but as a close personal friend of the man who was being sworn into the presidency of the United States. For the son of an immigrant Italian couple who had risen from the streets of Hoboken to become the biggest and most powerful star in show business, it was a moment to savor for a lifetime.

Frank Sinatra and his friend, President
John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

THE INAUGURATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY: Frank Sinatra organized and produced the Inaugural Gala, amassing a remarkable group of performers. Said JFK, "We're all indebted to a great friend, Frank Sinatra. Long before he could sing he was pulling in votes in a New Jersey precinct... Tonight, we saw excellence."


Left: Frank Sinatra rehearsing for the Inaugural Gala with a group of performers including Joey Bishop, Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte and Jimmy Durante. Center: Frank Sinatra, Senator Stuart Symington, Vice President Lyndon Johnson and President Kennedy. Right: Big night. Big snowstorm. Frank Sinatra escorts First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to the Inaugural.

JANUARY 15–28, 1958: FS played two weeks at the Sands.

JANUARY 19, 1942: Restless for the recognition he felt he deserved, Frank began recording solo in Hollywood for the Bluebird label, a lesser subsidiary of RCA. It was thought that since RCA was Dorsey's label, a recording on Bluebird would be less upsetting to the bandleader. With arranger Axel Stordahl as his conductor—and a lush string section playing behind him to weave a romantic mood—he recorded poetic renditions of "Night and Day," "The Lamplighter's Serenade," "The Night We Called It a Day" and "The Song Is You." The next day, listening to what they had recorded, he said, "I've got to go out on my own."

SAMMY CAHN ON SINATRA'S SENSE OF DESTINY: I vividly remember sitting with him one night, and he leaned in and said with the kind of intensity that can only come from great talent, "I am going to be the biggest singer there ever was." I looked at him and said, "There is no way anything can get in your way." He reached over, grabbed my arm and said, "You do believe, then." Boy, did I believe.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Ace917]

I lost my oldest friend almost a year ago to cancer. He left behind two wonderful daughters and a loving wife. Frank's letter to Nikka is so timely (and timeless), so I shared it with them this morning. The parallels are many.

Frank touches us in so many ways. He just did again, from out of the past, and I thank you, Bob, for posting this.

[ARIES3032]

We believe what a kind man Mr. Sinatra was, but the written words tell the story.

[Edison]

Thank you very much, Bob.

You're very welcome, folks, but as I've said many times, the thanks belong to Nancy. I mainly just cut and paste (and make a few typographical corrections here and there).

[RickinKs]

Originally Posted by Bob

You're very welcome, folks, but as I've said many times, the thanks belong to Nancy. I mainly just cut and paste (and make a few typographical corrections here and there).

Bob, your cut and paste skills are where I start my day. Thank You

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

JANUARY 20, 1985: He attended a White House reception.

JANUARY 15–21, 1976: He kicked off the new year with a week at Caesars... [See January 15th]

JANUARY 10–22, 1975: Back at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

JANUARY 20, 1969: FS appeared on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.

JANUARY 20, 1967: Dorothy (Dot) Uhlemann's first day with Mr. S. Secretary extraordinaire, honcho, troubleshooter. When Dorothy is around everybody is literally no more than two phone calls away. FS: "Trying to explain Dorothy is like trying to explain every leaf in a tulip and what makes each color more beautiful than the other."

FS and his gal Friday, Dorothy Uhlemann,
at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York,
January 1981.

JANUARY 5–FEBRUARY 1, 1966: Frank Sinatra and Count Basie at the Sands in Las Vegas... [See January 5th]

JANUARY 19–20, 1961: The [Kennedy] inaugural celebration was a milestone event... [See January 19th]

JANUARY 15–28, 1958: FS played two weeks at the Sands.

JANUARY 20–31, 1953: Dad returned from Africa [See December 1952] for an engagement at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Boston.

JANUARY 20, 1941: Sinatra's rendition of "Without a Song," recorded with the Dorsey band, was released by RCA. It was the first of 29 singles he would record with Tommy and arrangers Sy Oliver and Axel Stordahl on that label in 1941.

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

(From the Guestbook page and the online book Frank Sinatra: An American Legend by Nancy Sinatra )

JANUARY 21, 1993: In Los Angeles FS attended Mary Lazar's funeral.

JANUARY 21, 1992: Performed at a fund-raiser at the Waldorf-Astoria with Liza Minnelli and Shirley MacLaine for the New York mayoral candidacy of Andrew Stein.

JANUARY 21, 1984: In Tampa, Florida, he did two shows at the Sun Dome Theater.

JANUARY 21, 1981: Frank and Barbara were the guests of honor at a White House reception hosted by the Reagans.

JANUARY 15–21, 1976: He kicked off the new year with a week at Caesars... [See January 15th]

JANUARY 10–22, 1975: Back at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe.

JANUARY 5–FEBRUARY 1, 1966: Frank Sinatra and Count Basie at the Sands in Las Vegas... [See January 5th]

JANUARY 21, 1962: As part of his executive responsibilities as president of Reprise, Dad hosted a sales meeting for his marketing representatives.

JANUARY 15–28, 1958: FS played two weeks at the Sands.

JANUARY 21, 1957: Close to You, released by Capitol, became a top 10 album for the year. Featuring the Hollywood String Quartet, it included "P.S. I Love You," "Everything Happens to Me," "Blame It on My Youth" and a song that was recorded as a practical joke on the Capitol execs and never meant to be released: "There's a Flaw in My Flue."

JANUARY 20–31, 1953: ...an engagement at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Boston. [See January 20th]

[Dates of new entries highlighted in blue]

[Stnwy18]

Bob, you scared me today, when I got up this morning, it wasn't there. I was going to do it for you but didn't want to take away your fire.

Robert, Since I've done it every single day for at least the past ten months, I don't know why you would be scared. But if you'd like to do something for me on a regular basis, I have this very large snow-covered driveway...

[Stnwy18]

Originally Posted by Bob

But if you'd like to do something for me on a regular basis, I have this very large snow-covered driveway...

[Nancy]

Originally Posted by Stnwy18

Bob, you scared me today, when I got up this morning, it wasn't there. I was going to do it for you but didn't want to take away your fire.

Nice gesture, but don't even think about it.

[ivest2]

Originally Posted by Bob

Robert, Since I've done it every single day for at least the past ten months, I don't know why you would be scared. But if you'd like to do something for me on a regular basis, I have this very large snow-covered driveway...

lol!

[Stnwy18]

Originally Posted by Nancy

Nice gesture, but don't even think about it.

By the time I would have finished it, it would be Thursday. Bob, we're so lucky to have you!

[voice1]

Let's not go overboard now. Fortunate? Maybe. Lucky? Not fur nuthin'.

[Nancy]

JANUARY 21, 1957: Close to You, released by Capitol, became a top 10 album for the year. Featuring the Hollywood String Quartet, it included "P.S. I Love You," "Everything Happens to Me," "Blame It on My Youth" and a song that was recorded as a practical joke on the Capitol execs and never meant to be released: "There's a Flaw in My Flue."

There's a Flaw in My Flue I'm trying to decide whether or not to play this track on Sunday's show. It really messes up the album.

Play it, Nancy. The backstory will make an entertaining segment.

[Nancy]

Maybe I won't hate it so much if I don't play it as part of the album.

P.S. Here's the quote from the Albums appendix to Nancy's 1985 book, Frank Sinatra, My Father (page 327):

This distinguished chamber group [the Hollywood String Quartet] helped Dad and Nelson play a joke on the Capitol executives. They recorded an extra song on April 5, 1956. It had been written for FS by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke who—besides writing classics—often wrote nonsensical stuff for Bing's "Flop Parade" feature on his radio show.

They left the poignantly orchestrated song on the demo of the album. It went out to the big brass, who all promptly proclaimed it "beautiful!"

They would have released the album in its entirety if Pop hadn't intervened. He took the song off the album, proclaiming the bosses "dense!"