[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 14

A double-dip on tap for today--both shows from the Sabre Room outside of Chicago, 46 years ago tonight. Terrific sound with both, and Bill Miller is conducting.

1976-05-14
Hickory Hills, IL
Sabre Room
First Show

1. Night And Day
2. For Once In My Life
3. The Lady Is A Tramp
4. Imagination
5. Didn’t We?
6. Here’s That Rainy Day
7. Witchcraft
8. My Way
9. Monologue
10. All By Myself
11. I Sing The Songs
12. Send In The Clowns
13. My Kind Of Town
14. Exit Fanfare

https://www.mediafire.com/file/4fkcv862txa8ge9/1976-05-14,+Hickory+Hills,+IL,+Sabre+Room,+First+Show.zip/file

1976-05-14
Hickory Hills, IL
Sabre Room
Second Show

1. Walk-On Music
2. Night And Day
3. For Once In My Life
4. The Lady Is A Tramp
5. Imagination
6. Didn’t We?
7. Here’s That Rainy Day
8. Witchcraft
9. My Way
10. Monologue
11. All By Myself
12. Send In The Clowns
13. My Kind Of Town
14. Exit Fanfare

https://www.mediafire.com/file/26gym8riw4liem0/1976-05-14,+Hickory+Hills,+IL,+Sabre+Room,+2nd+Show.zip/file

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 15

1976-05-15
Hickory Hills, IL
Sabre Room
Second Show

Our third straight day of Sinatra's engagement at the Sabre Room back in 1976. Still great sound, still with Bill Miller conducting.

1. Night And Day
2. For Once In My Life
3. The Lady Is A Tramp
4. Imagination
5. Didn’t We?
6. Here’s That Rainy Day
7. Witchcraft
8. My Way
9. I Sing The Songs
10. Send In The Clowns
11. My Kind Of Town
12. Exit Fanfare

Note that Sinatra also performed "All By Myself" this night and gave a monologue, but neither of them are included in what I've got.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/gsq3zil0w0ou1ez/1976-05-15,+Hickory+Hills,+IL,+Sabre+Room,+Second+Show.zip/file

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 16

1986-05-16
Providence, RI
Providence Civic Center

36 years ago this evening Sinatra played the Civic Center in Providence, RI. Decent sound with this one.

1. Overture
2. Where Or When
3. For Once In My Life
4. Bewitched
5. That’s Life
6. Moonlight In Vermont
7. L.A. Is My Lady
8. Someone To Watch Over Me
9. Come Rain Or Come Shine
10. My Heart Stood Still
11. New York, New York
12. Monologue
13. Tony Mottola Solo
14. The Girl From Ipanema
15. Change Partners
16. April In Paris
17. The Best Is Yet To Come
18. Spring Is Here
19. It’s Alright With Me
20. One For My Baby
21. Mack The Knife
22. Exit Fanfare

https://www.mediafire.com/file/h0xy9a78ipyworw/1986-05-16,+Providence,+RI,+Civic+Center.zip/file

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 17

1944-05-17
Frank Sinatra In Person, sponsored by Vimms Vitamins (radio show)

From 78 years ago today we have the May 17, 1944 Frank Sinatra In Person radio program, sponsored by Vimms Vitamins.

1) Exactly Like You
2) Comedy sketch with Jerry Lester
3) Some Other Time
4) Comedy sketch with Lester and Bob Burns
5) Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are
6) Comedy sketch with Lester and Burns

Sinatra never recorded "Exactly Like You." Written in 1930 he performed it on the radio for first time on this show, again in 1946, and finally in 1951. The 1946 recording was with Nat "King" Cole.

"Some Other Time" was from the upcoming RKO picture "Step Lively" (in which Sinatra appeared). He had recorded it for the movie soundtrack a few months before this show in February.

Sinatra had recorded "Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are" just a few months before this show, in February 1944. It was also for the RKO picture "Step Lively."

The full show also includes "The Way You Look Tonight" with Sinatra backed by the Vimms Vocalists. Because this is included on the CD set "A Voice On Air" I'm not culling it out as an individual track (but you can hear it on the full program).

Two comedians were on the show--Jerry Lester (who had been on the March 29 FS Show) and Bob Burns. Burns' gimmick was playing a musical instrument he invented called a "bazooka" (unfortunately he did not play it on this show). He had a hillbilly twist to his act and was known as "The Arkansas Traveler."

Note the audio fades out pretty badly on the second comedy sketch.

On a related note, you can hear two rehearsals for this program on the CD collection "A Voice On Air"--"Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are" and "Some Other Time."

https://www.mediafire.com/file/7yrfx8ig3d4jeff/1944-05-17+The+FS+Program+VV.zip/file

 

[weirdalrocks]

May 7

1970-05-07
London, England
Royal Festival Hall

52 years ago, from May 4-8, Sinatra played London's Royal Festival Hall with the Count Basie Orchestra and a British string section. Below is the show from May 7, 1970.

There's a unique treat with this concert--it's the first of just two times Sinatra performed "Lady Day" live. Originally recorded for the "Watertown" album in August 1969 ("Lady Day" was the woman who left the protagonist in that album's story), Sinatra decided to leave it off the album when it was released. He returned to it with a Don Costa arrangement in November 1969, re-interpreting it as a tribute to one of his favorite singers, Billie Holiday (who was known as "Lady Day"). It's this latter arrangement we hear in this concert, and Sinatra even introduces it as a tribute to Holiday.

The sound is okay, and Bill Miller is on the podium conducting.

So! Many years ago on a Sinatra forum somewhere, I'd read about these May 7 & 8, 1970 London concerts and the opinion that certain fans had that they were in the list of the greatest concerts of his entire career--with the unfortunate caveat that the tapes that exist are only in so-so quality. I later got the tapes from these forums but hadn't thought much about them in the years since.

I've recently gotten into working on audio tape remastering and have began working with Adobe Audition to practice editing tapes. When getting back into collecting Sinatra tapes in the past month, these tapes very quickly came to mind as something that would be worthwhile to do some work on!

So I've started with the tape of this first night, and it came out pretty decent! It's a bit clearer sounding. The only thing is with the increase in the high end to improve the clarity came a bit of hiss, but I've done what I can to reduce it to a tolerable level. It's obviously a little worse on the softer songs but again nothing unbearable to my ears.

Anyway, hopefully you will all enjoy it and find it a worthwhile improvement on the original tape and and good listen!

Download Frank Sinatra 1970-05-07 Royal Festival Hall, London

 

[Luke4444]

Thank you for the effort to improve the sound. Any improvement is appreciated on these great shows 👍

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 18

1954-05-18
To Be Perfectly Frank (radio show)

A second straight day of radio for us, this one from 68 years ago today: the May 18, 1954 "To Be Perfect Frank" program. We get two Sinatra songs, both of which are with the Sinatra Symphonette.

Out Of Nowhere--with Sinatra Symphonette
Where Or When--with Sinatra Symphonette

Sinatra performed "Out Of Nowhere" as part of a medley with Tommy Dorsey in 1942 and then recorded a parody of it in 1956 as part of the soundtrack for "The Joker Is Wild." He sang it a few times on the radio in the mid-1940s.

"Where Or When" was an important song in Sinatra's catalog, with studio recordings occurring in 1945, 1958, and 1993. In between there were plenty of instances of him performing it in concerts, on TV, and on the radio.

Here's the full show's lineup:

Out Of Nowhere--with Sinatra Symphonette
I Get So Lonely (Four Knights)
Bright-Eyed & Bushy-Tailed (Eileen Barton and Jimmy Wakely)
Where Or When--with Sinatra Symphonette
Montoona Clipper (Les Brown instrumental)

http://www.mediafire.com/file/yk2q3uodprom0yx/1954-05-18,+TBPF.zip/file

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 19

1981-05-19
Los Angeles, CA
Century Plaza Hotel
NBC Affiliates Meeting

41 years ago today Sinatra was on stage at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles for an NBC Affiliates Meeting. Vincent Falcone, Jr. was conducting.

Even though it was a short set there are a few gems in here. First we get a lovely rendition of "These Foolish Things." Sinatra had just started performing it again earlier in 1981, and would include it in concerts for the next few years.

Second we have a rarity in which Sinatra takes a request from the audience--after Sinatra begins singing "Chicago" the rhythm section joins in and what ends up is a fast and swinging time.

Note that the medley of "The Gal That Got Away" and "It Never Entered My Mind" is split into two different tracks.

1. I've Got The World On A String
2. Fly Me To The Moon
3. The Best Is Yet To Come
4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
5. The Gal That Got Away
6. It Never Entered My Mind
7. Monologue
8. Luck Be A Lady
9. These Foolish Things
10. Pennies From Heaven
11. Chicago
12. New York, New York

https://www.mediafire.com/file/9fzajj3t86l4oih/1981-05-19,+Los+Angeles,+CA,+Century+Plaza+Hotel.zip/file

 

[theostler]

So! Many years ago on a Sinatra forum somewhere, I'd read about these May 7 & 8, 1970 London concerts and the opinion that certain fans had that they were in the list of the greatest concerts of his entire career--with the unfortunate caveat that the tapes that exist are only in so-so quality. I later got the tapes from these forums but hadn't thought much about them in the years since.

I've recently gotten into working on audio tape remastering and have began working with Adobe Audition to practice editing tapes. When getting back into collecting Sinatra tapes in the past month, these tapes very quickly came to mind as something that would be worthwhile to do some work on!

So I've started with the tape of this first night, and it came out pretty decent! It's a bit clearer sounding. The only thing is with the increase in the high end to improve the clarity came a bit of hiss, but I've done what I can to reduce it to a tolerable level. It's obviously a little worse on the softer songs but again nothing unbearable to my ears.

Anyway, hopefully you will all enjoy it and find it a worthwhile improvement on the original tape and and good listen!

Download Frank Sinatra 1970-05-07 Royal Festival Hall, London

Thanks for this, Out of interest, did you do this from an original tape source or FLAC equivalent or was it a MP3 source, as available here?

Thanks again

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 20

1981-05-20
Atlantic City, NJ
Resorts International

You may have heard that in yesterday's show from Los Angeles Sinatra made reference to flying across the country to play in Atlantic City the next night. Well, here's that concert from 41 years ago. Nice sound for an audience recording, with Vincent Falcone, Jr. at the baton.

1. I’ve Got The World On A String
2. Fly Me To The Moon
3. The Best Is Yet To Come
4. When Joanna Loved Me
5. Come Rain Or Come Shine
6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
7. The Gal That Got Away / It Never Entered My Mind
8. Monologue
9. Luck Be A Lady
10. The Shadow Of Your Smile (Tony Mottola solo)
11. Blues In The Night
12. I Loved Here
13. High Time (Vinnie Falcone solo)
14. Pennies From Heaven
15. You And Me (We Wanted It All)
16. Band Introductions
17. New York, New York

https://www.mediafire.com/file/uwv4c8r0wgqwgj7/1981-05-20,+Atlantic+City,+NJ,+Resorts+International.zip/file

 

[weirdalrocks]

Thanks for this, Out of interest, did you do this from an original tape source or FLAC equivalent or was it a MP3 source, as available here?

Thanks again

The same source shared so extremely generously by @FAS_fan_in_MD!

I haven't come across a FLAC source, but I have one for the second night which I'm working on. Problem with that tape is the process done to improve the clarity of the tape is creating a hell of a lot of noise/hiss on the quiet numbers. Trying to find the right balance to reduce the noise without causing too much of that digital/compressed sound you get from noise reduction. Hopefully I'll have something done soon.

Either way I hope the first night tape was an enjoyable improvement on the original! No problem, always happy to try my hand on things like this. If there's any other Sinatra things you'd like me to give a try please let me know, again I find the process to be a lot of fun.

Also, @FAS_fan_in_MD I completely neglected to thank you for what you are doing this year with these posts! You're being extremely generous and providing so much amazing material to listen to. It's definitely helping me catch up on my Sinatra collection too! I started collecting Sammy back in 2013 when I was 17 and later was able to start with Sinatra bootleg thanks to folks like you on this forum! I'm very grateful, thank you

(Also, I grew up in MD!)

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 21

1947-05-21
Songs By Sinatra (radio show)

Accompanied by Jane Powell and guest star Phil Silvers, here's the Songs By Sinatra radio program from 75 years ago tonight.

1) Introduction / Night And Day
2) That's How Much I Love You
3) Banter with Phil Silvers
4) As Long As I'm Dreaming
5) The Anniversary Song
6) Banter with Phil Silvers and Jane Powell
7) Phil Silvers Gives Sinatra Singing Lessons
8) Stella By Starlight
9) Ain'tcha Ever Comin' Back?--with The Pied Pipers
10) Closing Remarks / Put Your Dreams Away

The Pied Pipers perform "We Knew It All The Time" and Jane Powell gives us "Indian Love Call."

Sinatra had recorded "That's How Much I Love You" with The Page Cavanaugh Trio back in December 1946, and had debuted it on SBS with that group in March 1947. This is the first time he sang it with a full band.

The introduction of Phil Silvers involves Silvers interrupting Sinatra starting to sing "As Long As I'm Dreaming." After a bit of comedic back and forth Sinatra goes on to sing it in its entirety; I'm not aware of Sinatra having performed this song other than this instance.

"The Anniversary Song," while never recorded by Sinatra, had gotten decent airtime on SBS. He had sung it with Jane Powell in March 1947 and then again as a solo in April.

Before Sinatra introduces Jane Powell, Phil Silvers gives him a hard time for adding "hey" at the end of sentences (Sinatra did that a lot in the 1940s, I guess it was a hip thing to do back then). Before Powell sings "Indian Love Call" Silvers gives her some comedic singing tips--I've included all that banter here.

I've included the sketch where Silvers gives Sinatra some "singing lessons."

Sinatra had recently recorded "Stella By Starlight," for the first time in March 1947 (incidentally he recorded it twice that night as the first time he sang "stellar" every time). He returned to it again in the studio in 1977 as part of the "Songs For Ladies" album that never was. This is the only time I'm aware of him having sung it on the radio.

The same night in March 1947 that he recorded "Stella By Starlight" Sinatra had also recorded "Ain'tcha Ever Comin' Back." This is its first, and I think only, time Sinatra sang it on the radio.

Phil Silvers was an entertainer whose career spanned 60 years. He appeared on radio, TV, in films, and on stage.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/07pxo3xpy8sca2t/1947-05-21,+SBS.zip/file

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 22

1968-05-22
Oakland, CA
Oakland Coliseum

Today's post is for all those Democrats out there...

On this date in 1968 Sinatra participated in a fund-raising concert for Hubert Humphrey as the Democratic nominee for the 1968 Presidential election. Good sound with this one, and we get the bonus of Sinatra's recording of "High Hopes" for (at the time) Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, recorded on January 28, 1960.

1. Day In/Day Out
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You
3. Moonlight In Vermont
4. The Lady Is A Tramp
5. I Have Dreamed
6. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
7. That’s Life
8. Ol’ Man River
9. All I Need Is The Girl
10. Willow Weep For Me
11. Goin’ Out Of My Head
12. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
13. Fly Me To The Moon
14. It Was A Very Good Year
15. My Kind of Town
16. High Hopes for Kennedy

I'm including the CD cover art for this one (which erroneously places the concert at "Oakland University" which doesn't exist).

https://www.mediafire.com/file/cqpbarlnv2y5dlf/1968-05-02,+Oakland,+CA,+Oakland+University.zip/file

 

[Computer Blue]

This is a great concert, one of my favorites.

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 23

1980-05-23
Atlantic City, NJ
Resorts International

42 years ago Sinatra was in Atlantic City, NJ at Resorts International. A decent audience recording, and we get Vincent Falcone conducting.

The unique twist with this show is a performance of "I've Been There." Written by Gordon Jenkins for "The Future" portion of Sinatra's three-part album "Trilogy," it's the only song from "The Future" that Sinatra performed in concert.

1. All Of Me
2. I’ve Been There
3. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
4. Let Me Try Again
5. The Lady Is A Tramp
6. Summer Me, Winter Me
7. I’ve Got A Crush On You
8. The Best Is Yet To Come
9. You And Me (We Wanted It All)
10. Monologue
11. Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
12. Street Of Dreams
13. My Way
14. April In Paris
15. The Song Is You
16. A Foggy Day
17. New York, New York

https://www.mediafire.com/file/oy4w91i39438i8o/1980-05-23,+Atlantic+City,+NJ,+Resorts+International.zip/file

 

[Computer Blue]

"I've Got a Crush on You" was also rare for this period, and this has to be one of the last times he did "Let Me Try Again."

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

"I've Got a Crush on You" was also rare for this period, and this has to be one of the last times he did "Let Me Try Again."

I see performances of "I've Got A Crush On You" after this for a few weeks in late 1986 and then a few times here and there in 1990, 1991, and 1992, and then a decent amount in 1993.

I think you may be right about "Let Me Try Again," good catch. From what I can see this was the last time he ever performed it--he sang it a lot in 1974, 1975, and 1976, and then just six more times in 1980, concluding with this one.

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

May 24

1987-05-24
Las Vegas, NV
Golden Nugget (2nd Show)

45 years ago tonight Sinatra was closing out an engagement at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Here we've go the second show from that evening, with Bill Miller conducting. Good sound for an audience recording.

1. Introduction
2. Just The Way You Are
3. Witchcraft
4. Summer Wind
5. Maybe This Time
6. Bewitched
7. Street Of Dreams
8. I Get Along Without You Very Well
9. Please Be Kind
10. The Gal That Got Away / It Never Entered My Mind
11. Monologue
12. For Once In My Life
13. Something
14. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
15. My Way
16. I’ve Got The World On A String
17. My Heart Stood Still
18. Band Introductions
19. Mack The Knife
20. Exit Fanfare

https://www.mediafire.com/file/ssdv74le7qhubl5/1987-05-24,+Las+Vegas,+NV,+Golden+Nugget,+2nd+Show.zip/file

 

[sinatrapicturefan]

May 22

1968-05-22
Oakland, CA
Oakland University

Today's post is for all those Democrats out there...

On this date in 1968 Sinatra participated in a fund-raising concert for Hubert Humphrey as the Democratic nominee for the 1968 Presidential election. Good sound with this one, and we get the bonus of Sinatra's recording of "High Hopes" for (at the time) Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, recorded on January 28, 1960.

1. Day In/Day Out
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You
3. Moonlight In Vermont
4. The Lady Is A Tramp
5. I Have Dreamed
6. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
7. That’s Life
8. Ol’ Man River
9. All I Need Is The Girl
10. Willow Weep For Me
11. Goin’ Out Of My Head
12. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
13. Fly Me To The Moon
14. It Was A Very Good Year
15. My Kind of Town
16. High Hopes for Kennedy

I'm including the CD cover art for this one.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/cqpbarlnv2y5dlf/1968-05-02,+Oakland,+CA,+Oakland+University.zip/file

Thank you for the great upload. Not to nitpick, but this concert was held at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, not Oakland University which I don't believe exists (I'm an Oakland CA native). The Arena is same venue where the Golden State Warriors played for many years until their recent move to San Francisco.

 

[FAS_fan_in_MD]

Thank you for the great upload. Not to nitpick, but this concert was held at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, not Oakland University which I don't believe exists (I'm an Oakland CA native). The Arena is same venue where the Golden State Warriors played for many years until their recent move to San Francisco.

Not nitpicking at all, accuracy is important!

I admit I was going by what was on the CD cover art but after your post I did some poking around and I agree--it was indeed at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Thanks for the correction! I've updated my post of this concert accordingly.