Frank Sinatra Song Folio: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This object was part of a donation of materials related to singer Frank Sinatra and his associates collected by David J. and Eileen Miller Girson.

Few individuals have left a more profound impact on American entertainment history than Francis Albert 'Frank' Sinatra. Born in 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Italian immigrant parents, Sinatra first achieved national prominence as a singer for bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey in the late 1930s and early 1940s. With his smooth voice and innovative phrasing, he quickly became a sensation and teen idol, influencing a generation of young fans known as 'bobby-soxers.'

By 1943, Sinatra had established his solo career, quickly becoming one of the premier interpreters of the Great American Songbook. In the 1950s, he pioneered the conceptual album with landmark releases like In the Wee Small Hours. He frequently collaborated with jazz greats such as Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones and Antonio Carlos Jobim. In the 1950s and 1960s “Ol’ Blue Eyes” led the era-defining 'Rat Pack'—a group of like-minded entertainers that also counted Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. as members.

Over the decades, Sinatra found success in almost every facet of entertainment, with hit Vegas residencies at the Sands and Caesars Palace and prominent roles on radio and in Emmy-winning television specials. On the big screen he not only starred in musicals such as “On the Town” and “Guys and Dolls” but also in gritty dramas like “The Man with the Golden Arm” and “the Manchurian Candidate”. In 1954 he won the Academy award for best supporting actor for his role as Private Maggio in “From Here to Eternity”. In 1960 he founded Reprise Records to allow for more artistic autonomy for himself and other artists.

Sinatra’s private life was a subject of constant media fascination, fueled by his known connections to the Mafia, his numerous divorces, and friendship, and eventual disassociation from, President John F. Kennedy.

A champion of civil rights and a proponent of artistic freedom, Sinatra remains one of the most influential figures in American entertainment. Known as 'The Chairman of the Board,' he was an architect of modern stardom; his sensitive yet defiant persona helped define American 'cool' in the 20th century while his discriminating renditions of song elevated expectations of artistry in popular culture.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: ca 1944
• depicted (sitter): Sinatra, Frank
• maker: J. Albert & Son
• Object Name: song folio
• Object Name: sheet music
• Physical Description: paper (overall material)
• Physical Description: ink (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 12 1/4 in x 9 1/2 in; 31.115 cm x 24.13 cm
• place made: Australia: New South Wales, City of Sydney
• ID Number: 2015.0215.1244
• accession number: 2015.0215
• catalog number: 2015.0215.1244
• Credit Line: David J. Girson and Eileen Miller Girson
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.