On the Fringe

What artists' careers have encompassed the Countrypolitan style, either substantially or "On The Fringe?"
A different artist will be featured every month in this new series of articles.

Nancy Sinatra


	Click on thumbnail image for enlarged photo. Photos borrowed from The Official Nancy Sinatra Website				Nancy Sinatra is not principally known for her involvement in `countrypolitan’ music, however her contributions in this regard definitely place her `On The Fringe’ of the genre. Nancy was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on 8th June 1940, daughter of entertainment great, Frank Sinatra, and the object of her father’s affection. Why, her dad even sang about her in his ‘40’s song `Nancy With The Laughing Face’. Frank had three children; Nancy was the eldest. In 1944, the family moved to California. Nancy’s preparation for a show business career was extensive. As a youngster she spent up to 11 years developing her talents: voice lessons from tutor Carlo Menotti, piano lessons, dance lessons and drama training. At elementary school Nancy worked on vocal arrangements for the school choir as well. Nancy and two of her school friends formed a trio called the Tri Tones. In 1959, the group appeared on The Frank Sinatra Show. In 1960, Nancy made her first individual professional appearance on the Frank Sinatra/ Elvis Presley television special. The same year, Nancy married teen idol, Tommy Sands. The marriage lasted three years. To begin her recording career, Nancy joined her father’s label, `Reprise’. Her early professional efforts were based on the Annette Funicello style of singing. Annette’s producer, Tutti Camarara, assisted Nancy with early songs such as `Cuff Links And A Tie Pin’. Her second release, `Like I Do’, topped the charts in Japan and Italy. These and other releases also did well in Europe, but not the U.S. . Nancy even recorded with Jimmy Bowen but could still not find the correct mix for success. During these early years, Nancy also gained support roles in movies: `Get Yourself A College Girl’ and `The Ghost In The Invisible Bikini’. Deprived of initial success, Nancy and her advisers sought to change her image. Nancy developed a tougher `biker girl’ type image. Around this time, Nancy also teamed up with record producer, Lee Hazelwood, and musical arranger, Billy Strange. Together they developed Nancy’s voice into a tougher, more growling entity. Nancy had even taken a liking to a song that Hazelwood had partially written. Lee didn’t like it much but Nancy did, so Nancy recorded it. The song achieved the success Nancy had sought, taking only four weeks to top the U.S. charts, and also attaining equivalent worldwide acclaim. The song - `These Boots Are Made For Walkin’’. The resultant album - `Boots’ - was promoted worldwide. Nancy’s success was established. Her release -`How Does That Grab You, Darlin’’ - hit No. 7 on the charts in 1966 and `Sugar Town’ made No.5 in 1967. Nancy also recorded the title song to the James Bond movie `You Only Live Twice’. At this time Nancy began to vary her image, dressing in the latest Carnaby Street Fashions, predominantly miniskirts, bare midriff blouses and go-go boots. Probably the biggest hit that Nancy ever had was recorded around this time: a duet with her father, Frank, entitled `Something Stupid’. Not only was `Something Stupid’ the biggest hit of Nancy’s career but it was also the biggest hit father Frank ever had on the charts. `Something Stupid’ topped the U.S. charts, the only father-daughter duet ever to do so. Nancy also recorded duets with her producer and advisor, Lee Hazelwood. Several of them became hits, including `Jackson’ and countrypolitan offerings `Summer Wine’, `Lady Bird’, `Some Velvet Morning’, `I’ve Been Down For So Long’, and `Oh, Lonesome Me’, amongst others. Many of these are available on Nancy’s album, `Lightning’s Girl’. Nancy also released a country music album, `Country My Way’, containing quite a number of countrypolitan songs: `It’s Such A Pretty World’, `Walk Through This World With Me’, `When It’s Over’, `Lonely Again’, `Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham’, `Are You Growing Tired Of My Love’. Some of Nancy’s other albums also include countrypolitan offerings. For instance, the album `How Does That Grab You’ features Buck Owen’s `Crying Time’. Nancy received several Grammy nominations for her work. Continuing her work in movies, Nancy starred with Elvis Presley in `Speedway’ and Peter Fonda in `The Wild Angels’. Nancy was even nominated as the Top Female Box Office Personality for both 1967 and 1968 by the American Film Exhibitors Association. Moreover, Nancy joined with Jack Haley Jnr. to produce a collection of music videos for a television special entitled `Movin’ With Nancy’. This venture was renowned for three reasons: it won an Emmy award it was produced ten years before music videos were in vogue it was filmed on location in lieu of a studio The years 1966-1968 may have been the halcyon years of Nancy’s career, however they were also years of the Vietnam War. Nancy became a pin-up for the G.I.’s in Vietnam and, in 1968, she was part of a USO tour to Vietnam to entertain the troops. Nancy has supported U.S. war veterans ever since. Like her father, Nancy began to entertain in Las Vegas. She was the third act at the International Hotel after Barbra Striesand and Elvis Presley and uniquely, in 1969, played the Las Vegas strip on the same night as father, Frank, and brother, Frank Jnr; albeit each played a different hotel venue. It was during these Las Vegas ventures that, in 1970, Nancy married her choreographer and stage director, Hugh Lambert. The couple had two daughters, Amanda and Angela Jennifer, so Nancy temporarily retired to devote her time to family commitments. Nancy’s television appearances in the ‘60’s and 70’s were numerous. She appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, The Glen Campbell Show, The Perry Como Show, The Bobby Darin Show, and the Kraft Music Hall to name just a few. In 1985, Hugh Lambert died of cancer. Nancy was determined that the two girls receive a good education and it was not until the ‘90’s that Nancy once again became fully involved with show business. In the interim, Nancy had done some recording and toured with her father, Frank. Nancy even played herself in an episode of `China Beach’, a series based on the Vietnam war, and also began work on biographies for both herself and her father. In 1995, with her daughters well established in college, Nancy committed herself to a comeback. The shows were predominantly rock shows. Nancy toured the U.S.A. and Europe and many of her shows were sell-outs. Venues included San Francisco’s Fillmore Hotel, Los Angeles’ Viper Room and The House Of Blues, New York’s Limelight and Philadelphia’s Trocadero. Nancy also released an album - `One More Time’. Lee Hazelwood even joined Nancy on stage in New York and San Francisco. As well as Hazelwood, Nancy has worked with a number of well known producers and arrangers including Snuff Garrett, Don Costa, Jimmy Bowen, L. Russell Brown, Billy Strange, Duane Eddy as well as a number of others. In the late ‘90’s, Nancy based her shows on her 1998 release, `Sheet Music’ - a collection of old and rare songs, with a sequel to follow. Nancy also reissued 13 of her previous albums on CD, with a further 6 to follow up. In May 2000, the American Movie Classics channel played `Movin’ With Nancy’ for the first time in thirty years. The special is currently available on both DVD and video. As sequels `Movin’ With Nancy Nice ‘n’ Easy’ and `Movin With Nancy On Stage’ are in the pipeline, Nancy should receive further video exposure. Nancy continued to entertain, mainly in California. Her business ventures are handled by her own company, Boots Enterprises, Inc., including the Sinatra Family website to honor her father’s memory. Nancy continues to support U.S. war veterans and has even had a stamp issued in her honor by Turkmenistan. Whilst Nancy’s involvement with countrypolitan music is not generally perceived as extensive, her delightful offerings - which include several hits - most certainly demonstrate that she was `On The Fringe’; albeit her prime commitment was to other genres. *Written by Michael D'Arcy. September 2001, Countrypolitan.com.* Purchase Nancy Sinatra's Music. Visit Nancy's Official Website.

See who else has been "On The Fringe." Find past articles in our Archives.

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