Following the Frank Sinatra footsteps

JOSE CASTILLA, super excited to see my admired Frank Sinatra live. That September 25, 1986 I was forever etched in my memory and in my heart.

FRANK SINATRA, in concert.
Thursday, day 25 September 1986
21 hours
row 34

Autumn had little time to live. The temperature was very nice, perfect for attending a concert outdoors.

Was nine o’clock in the evening. All spectators anxiously expecting the appearance of Frank Sinatra on stage..The presenter announced the imminent appearance of Sinatra on stage. Those who were there applauded enthusiastically

Frank appeared waving to concert goers. People interrupted him with shouts of !!Frankie, Frankie!!.

There was silence and the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Bill Miller, sounded the first notes of the famous song: Fly me to the moon.Frank Sinatra Fly Me To The After the instrumental introduction, Frank Sinatra started to sing with his warm and personal voice.

I could not believe what my eyes saw, what my ears were hearing, what my spirit felt. I had often dreamed of seeing a live performance by Frank Sinatra.The  dream came true. I was very happy.

Came the last song:, My way – Frank Sinatra .

My way, that to Frank is like a tailored suit. In my opinion is the best singer who plays the beautiful and incomparable song

Concluding My way, all attendees express our enthusiasm and admiration with strong and sustained applause.Frank thanked the public’s admiration samples taking the right hand to his mouth to send a kiss of thanks.

The concert ended. Frank Sinatra left the scene. In the faces of the people were very visible the state of joy and satisfaction for having watched and listened to an exceptional artist.

The stadium stayed empty but our hearts were filled with joy at having witnessed a performance by a great artist known by the nickname of The Voice.

This is the cover of the CD I recorded in 2005 with the songs:»NEW YORK, NEW YORK;FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE ;MY WAY ; STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT;CYCLES;LOVE HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME 

This is the photo that I’m close the piano and pointing to my teacher Frank Sinatra, which is inside of the CD, then I was 22, and I took 30 years to fulfill my dream of showing I could sing in the Sinatra style. A demonstration of perseverance in the execution of a dream.

It was clear that childhood dream of becoming in a singer trying to follow in the footsteps of Frank Sinatra, was totally frustrated. Then I said to myself: «I can´t  reach  to become in a singer of the Frank Sinatra school, but I can  record some songs of his repertoire and put them on a CD, trying to be as true to the style of the incomparable Frank Sinatra».

This idea was very present in me along many years, and it was from listening to Frank Sinatra in Madrid on September 25, 1986, when this idea took more strength in me, however, for one reason or another, I found difficult to carry out my project, until finally in 2005 I released my CD with six songs from the repertoire of Sinatra.

I was excited to record this album, and not for commercial purposes, but for the sole purpose of proving to myself that I had the qualities to become in a singer of Frank Sinatra School.

I was thinking about the songs that I would choose to record and finally were these six:

 – MY WAY

– NEW YORK, NEW YORK

– FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE

– STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

– LOVE HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME

– CYCLES

After many trials, I was ready to record the six songs that I mentioned earlier. I hired a modest recording studio in Madrid and recorded the six songs,  just to prove to myself that in other circumstances, might have sung Sinatra style. This happened in 2005.

These six songs, considering I’ve never been a professional singer, has a dignity and a lot of feeling in artistic interpretation, trying to be a good student of Frank Sinatra School. If you want you can listen to these songs entering my website: www.josecastilla.net, in paragraph: «Remembering FRANK SINATRA».

Frank Sinatra — The Christmas Song (VintageMusic.es)

Frank Sinatra – Jingle Bells

Christmas Songs of Frank Sinatra, always have been for me an essential part in the celebration of the Christmas time.

This old vinyl record, edited by Capitol Records, I bought it when I was 21 and contains the songs:JINGLE BELLS, THE CHRISTMAS SONG, IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, SILENT NIGHT.Frank Sinatra RARE 1991 Silent Night

 

The most beautiful thing in the world: LOVE. (Mother Teresa)

To all the people who visit my blog I sincerely wish them happy Christmas and a New Year in which all dreams become in reality.

 

This old vinyl disc contains four Christmas songs that are sung Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Fred Warin. GO TELL IN THE MOUNTAIN AND WE WISH YOU THE Merriest, are sung in duet by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.Santa Claus is coming to town

Frank Sinatra and his wife Barbara, and friends, on the day he turned 80.

Frank Sinatra – Happy Birthday

Frank Sinatra on the day of his 80th birthday delighted his friends singing one of his favorite songs, MY WAY, showing that he was in good shape and with the great talent as always.

The December 12, 1995, Frank Sinatra turned 80. It was a special birthday. 80 years was a fairly long life and luckily, despite all these years, I still had the ability to sing and do it with class and dignity. I wanted to join the thousands of people who congratulated him. From Burgos (Spain) I congratulated to Sinatra by sending a letter to the New York Times on December 5, 1995.I don´t know if you actually published, but I’m happy to have made this gesture, which for me was as if he had shaken hands.

Frank Sinatra, on stage at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with arms outstretched in a gesture of thanks to all the friends who gathered here to congratulate his 80s and give demonstrations of affection and admiration for him.

José Castilla letter sent to the NEW YORK TIMES on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Frank Sinatra

Burgos (Spain), December 5, 1995

IN THE 8Oth BIRTHDAY OF BLUE EYES

On December 12, 1995, Frank Sinatra is going to reach the age of 80 years . I think is a special birthday for him and for all people that love him. I´d like to join to the hundreds of people that will give Frank Sinatra their congratulations, and, at the same time, I´d like to use this opportunity from the pages of that famous newspaper, for expressing my admiration, recognition and gratitude to Old Blue Eyes for the wonderful momentes that I´ve passed listening to his exceptional voice singing so beautiful songs, and I want to wish him all the beste in his life. !!HAPPY BIRTHDAY¡¡.

JOSE CASTILLA