Rick Michel's Blog

As I mentioned when I wrote about Frank Sinatra’s version of the hit song, “Mrs. Robinson”, a cover can be incredible because of the potential of bringing together a favorite song with a beloved artist. It can be fun to hear some songs performed by The Voice that weren’t at all meant for a big band arrangement – some results are magical, others can leave you asking, “Why did they think that was a good idea?” Then there are some that you don’t think have a chance at sounding good, only to prove your misconceptions premature. Jim Croce’s “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” falls into the latter category. Read More

We all have stresses in our life and, idyllic as it may sometimes look, the life of a celebrity is anything but immune to these perils. A Rat Pack lifestyle may be living the dream, but to reach the very top, as Frank, Dean, and Sammy all did, you’ve got to work harder and smarter than everyone else gunning for the accolades. So, it’s no surprise that each of these three legends suffered with something that would warrant a trip to the psychiatrist’s office. Read More

With the 100th birthday celebrations for Frank Sinatra so prominent, it’s easy to overlook Dean Martin (his 100th birthday will be in 2017), but I have such a respect for him and genuinely love being him on stage that I wanted to make him my subject this week. Read More

Frank Sinatra is as American as apple pie and baseball and he’s got the ball card to prove it – in 2011 Topps issued a card in his honor for their American Pie card set. Ol’ Blue Eyes embodies all that is wonderful about America, rising from virtually nothing to become, perhaps, the greatest pop legend of all time. He was proud of his country and spent a great deal of time, money and effort making it a better place. Read More

I love comedy. It captured me hook, line, and sinker from a very young age, as the photo of me doing an impression of Stan Laurel when I was a mere seven years old can attest. The ability to make someone laugh and make a statement while doing it is a truly unique gift that I believe is important to the mental health of our society, which is why I appreciate comics of all genres. Read More

Performing my Las Vegas show, Sinatra Forever is a blast, but it’s after the curtain drops on a showing of Drinkin’ – Singin’ – Swingin’ that I realize how much the camaraderie experienced with my co-stars really adds a whole new, otherwise unobtainable dimension to a performance. It was following this revelation that it occurred to me that it would have been much the same dynamic Frank, Dean, and Sammy would have experienced. Read More

Fresh off a fantastic show in Maryland, I’m heading to Hammond, Indiana, a part of metropolitan Chicago; it’s the city that greets you as you enter the Hoosier State. We’re ready for another performance of Drinkin’ – Singin’ – Swingin’ and I know this will be a special crowd. Whether you’re talking Chicago, Hammond, or simply Indiana, Frank Sinatra had special connections to this neck of the woods. Read More

I’m excited for the weekend! Saturday, June 13th, 2015 I’ll be zipping down to the Sandia Resort and Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico to perform my Las Vegas show, Sinatra Forever, which will be a real gas because I love Albuquerque, they have some great Sinatra fans. The show has been receiving some great comments and reviews – which is something every performer revels in – and I can feel the excitement growing as the 100th birthday celebration for Frank continues. Read More

A crooner is usually a male singer performing his craft with emphasis on emotion and sentimentality, a style made possible with the advent of the microphone since the soft vocalizations wouldn’t have reached a large audience without this innovation. A swooner uses this style to make the ladies react. Frank Sinatra is often labelled as both, but The Voice himself didn’t appear to agree. Read More

I could tell you that Frank Sinatra’s first studio album was “The Voice of Frank Sinatra,” his film debut was in “Higher and Higher,” his first singing group was the Hoboken Four, his first wife was Nancy Barbato, and his first born was Nancy Sinatra, but everyone knows all this. Right? How about a few significant “firsts” that may not be on the tip of everyone’s tongue and you can decide if they should be or not. Read More