Rick Michel's Blog

Even today, more than sixteen years after his death, Frank Sinatra represents a lot of things to a lot of people, which is witnessed by the references to him in the media, songs, movies, television shows and essentially all aspects of popular culture. Of course, while “The Voice” made no claims to be a writer, his presence cannot be ignored in literature, both current and not. Read More

“Regrets, I’ve had a few,” that iconic line from Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” automatically sets the mood for reflection, a practice we partake of as the clock winds down on another year. While I ponder personal misgivings (my furry Bullwinkle hat comes to mind!), I can’t help but wonder what “The Chairman of the Board” himself may have considered a regret. Read More

You can’t seem to escape Christmas music. Whether you’re shopping, watching TV or visiting family, this is the time of year you’re likely to hear more than your fair share of holiday flavored tunes – like it or not. Of course, the music industry knows this, so most successful musicians will release a holiday album for their fans and Frank Sinatra was no exception. In fact, his third studio album was “Christmas Songs by Sinatra,” and when you have a voice like “The Voice,” why wouldn’t you treat your listeners at this magical time of year? Read More

"I'm not one of those complicated, mixed-up cats. I'm not looking for the secret to life.... I just go on from day to day, taking what comes," is a quotation from “The Chairman of the Board,” but today is no average day, it’s what would have been the 99th birthday of the man that was anything but average or uncomplicated, Mr. Francis Albert Sinatra. Read More

Producers knew the importance of music to a motion picture even before there were talkies. Music sets the mood and creates drama – excitement, sadness, humor, and fear are all themes and emotions that can be brought to life and punctuated with a timely tune. How many times have you been moved by a particular scene without consciously realizing the music that was playing? It’s no accident that so many films add a little of (okay, a lot of) “The Voice” to their scores. Here are three such movies that have stood out for me. Read More

Thanksgiving is about memories – giving thanks for both past and new ones. Memories are something to cherish much more than anything you can acquire on Black Friday or Cyber Monday and that in itself makes the mere title of the song, “Thanks for the Memory” exquisite. Read More

When I saw Judd Nelson’s name all over the Internet recently due to an online hoax reporting the actor deceased, I couldn’t help but think of the Brat Pack – a group of young, cool, talented actors that hung out with each other in the ‘80s that consisted of Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, and Andrew McCarthy. Read More

When the title “song and dance man” is mentioned, Frank Sinatra isn’t necessarily a name that’s usually placed on the list of performers in that category. His Rat Pack peer, Sammy Davis, Jr. would certainly be there, along with the likes of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, but Frank, despite holding his own with Kelly in “Anchors Aweigh,” isn’t always recognized for that triple threat status – excelling at singing, acting, and dancing. Nevertheless, he has been an important factor in the dance community. Read More

In my constant research to improve myself as a performer I came across an article on a popular how-to website on How to Be a Frank Sinatra Impersonator and since it can be done in seven short, easy steps, I thought, as the world’s best Frank Sinatra impersonator, I’d let you all know just how little effort it takes. Read More

With all of the accolades Frank Sinatra received: top notch singer; Academy Award winning actor; civil rights leader; painter; etc. his business and media savvy was often overlooked. Read More