by James Harvey

Created on: June 24, 2009   Last Updated: September 04, 2011

At the beginning of his long career, he was just a skinny, big-eared kid from Hoboken, New Jersey, by the end of his life, he would become a living institution. Yes, Frank Sinatra has become one of the best-known entertainers of all time, some would even say the best. His ballads are just as popular as they were when he was actually alive, even a new generation of young people are learning how to appreciate the Sinatra tunes that were hits in their grandparents' day. He has indeed earned the titles that he became known by. "Ol' Blue Eyes", "The Voice", and perhaps the best-known one, "Chairman of the Board".

Francis Albert Sinatra was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, on December 12, 1915, the only child of Italian immigrants Anthony Martin Sinatra and Natalee Garaventa Sinatra, who was also known as "Dolly". Frankie grew up in a somewhat challenging family environment, his father was a struggling firefighter and his mother reportedly ran an illegal makeshift abortion clinic from her home which got her arrested on several occasions and was twice convicted for the same offense. Frankie was sort of a rebel, never graduating from high school, having only 47 days of secular education, before he was expelled for unruly conduct.

By the time young Frankie had reached his teens in the late 1920's, the country was hit with the Great Depression. To help supplement the family income, Frankie was a delivery boy for the Jersey Observer newspaper and also worked as a riveter at a local shipyard. It was also around this time-the early 1930's- that he began to sing in public. One of his biggest influences was when he went to a local theater and he heard young, up-and -coming singer  Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby croon. Once he heard Crosby's deep, smooth baritone voice, he resolved in his mind that he wanted to be a singer, a crooner, like his older model.

Young Frank didn't waste any time toward that end. His mother, recognizing his talent, urged a local group, The Three Flashes to let him join. With Sinatra now aboard, the group changed its name to The Hoboken Four. In 1935, when Frank was barely 20, the group appeared on a popular radio talent show, Major Bowes  Amateur Hour. The Foursome was such a hit that they won first prize, attracted 40,000 votes and got a six-month contract to perform nationwide on stage and radio.

But the fame and glory was short-lived, and Frank returned home later the same year, 1935. His mother then got him another job working as a singing

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