Frank Sinatra was born on this date in 1915. Who is the greatest of these popular singers? (December 12, 2006)

[AmericanHeritage]

Discuss the poll "Frank Sinatra was born on this date in 1915. Who is the greatest of these popular singers?", posted December 12, 2006.

[MauriceColgan]

Elvis Presley usually tops these kind of Polls, when it's the general public that vote.

Selected magazines reflect their readership's point of view. Rarely do they get it right.

Elvis Presley was, without a doubt, the greatest and most versatile voice in Popular music. Like Muhamid Ali in boxing, Elvis was in a class of his own and every discerning listener knows that:-)
http://irelandtoo.blogspot.com

Irish Tenors John McCormack and Josef Locke also had beautiful voices that the public adored.

[Albert]

All great singers, but Ol' Blue Eyes tops the lot for too many reasons to go into on a short posting space as this. He was the big bang of pop music, years before Elvis and his greasy mop had the girlies screaming Frank was driving Bobby Soxers wild, selling records by the million, pulling as many teenagers into cinemas to see him on the big screen and changing the landscape of popular singing from big band to solo vocalist who didn't have to ape Crosby to sell.

Talking of whom, is strangely absent from this list. Bing having more #1 singles, million selling singles and altogether hit singles and singles sales than Elvis and The Beatles combined. A true great in every sense of the word, the first genuine multimedia star and one of the biggest cinema attractions of all time as well.

But Frank still tops them all, his voice being powerful and versatile in equal measure, the sheer volume of his work spanning 70 years, and his every decade from the thirties until the nineties holding interpretations of popular song that remain unsurpassed, setting standard for the vocalist and establishing the Great American Song Book in the process.

Elvis came and bowed out too soon, the Beatles fizzled away and Jacko got plain odd, but Sinatra was still standing tall, and when he died only eight years ago, their ended the 20th Century and the life and career of the master vocalist of all-time. This poll may say different, zealots voting in droves for Elvis and the current love affair with Tony Bennett raising his profile - justified, though - but when all is said and done, the history books do, and will, look upon Francis Albert Sinatra as the singer's singer, the master vocalist and the greatest entertainer of the last century...

Start spreadin' the news.

[MauriceColgan]

ALBERT, In my Classical, "History of American Music" book, Sinatra is not mentioned.

Elvis Presley is of course:-)

Like Berstein said, "Elvis Presley was the greatest Cultural force in the 20th Century "

The world's media will focus on the 30th Anniversary of Elvis death next year.

Meanwhile check out the amount of Elvis's music on Billboard Charts December 2006.

Back in 1960 when Sergeant Elvis Presley returned from serving his country in Germany on which TV Show was he paid 120,000 dollars to sing two songs?

Mr Sinatra's of course:-)

Your description of Elvis's "Greasy Hair" destroys your objectivity completely. All the matinee Idols plastered their hair with oils of one sort or another. Only Elvis gets the greasy hair smear. Think about it! Zealots indeed:-)

"The International Conference on Elvis Presley" drew Academics from all over the world to discuss Elvis and why the establishment feared him so much. We all know why now. Yes Elvis Tops the vast majority of music polls no matter what excuses are made.

Al Jolson made an impact too he was the first singer I noticed as a child. Then Nelson Eddy, Bing, and the much underated Frankie Laine. (His western song "Mule Train" ruined his reputation with the music snobs of the time but he is still singing now!) Mario Lanza and Dean Martin were huge hits with the public.

The world Knows Elvis as "The King", and not just the, "King of Rock 'n' Roll"!

"Elvis and Company."
You know it in your heart,
Now know it in your head,
Elvis followed Beethoven,
And joined the lesser dead.
They do no doubt endure,
Because of song and score.
Along with Michelangelo,
And Socratese of yore.
Just think of those who've passed,
Like Leonardo . Gone.
But you never see the last,
Of names that just live on.
Mankind mourns their like,
All of the lesser dead,
You knew this in your heart,
Now you know it in your head. Poem by MC.

http://irelandtoo.blogspot.com

[jetblack]

Although there are many great singers including Sinatra amongst others like Judy Garland and Dean Martin - Elvis does indeed stand head and shoulders above them - The man could sing ANYTHING:- Rock, blues, country, gospel, ballad.

He is the biggest cultural phonemonen the world has ever witnessed giving a new style of music to the masses courtesy of looks, charisma and THAT VOICE!!

Andy

[james2477]

surely there are many great ones out there, so it's tough to pick the top one.