Early Life
The son of Italian immigrants, Sinatra grew up in Hoboken and began singing with a local group before joining the bands of Harry James and Tommy Dorsey.
Career
After becoming a teen idol in the 1940s, his career slumped until he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for From Here to Eternity (1953). He then made acclaimed albums for Capitol Records such as In the Wee Small Hours (1955) and Songs for Swingin' Lovers! (1956), and later founded Reprise Records. Signature songs include “My Way”, “Fly Me to the Moon” and “New York, New York”.
Legacy
Sinatra was a leading member of the “Rat Pack” with Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1985 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and died in 1998 at age 82.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24