Iconic Celebrity #5: Frank Sinatra

He learned how to read music by ear, stood on bar tops singing for tip money as a third grader, dropped out of high school and grew up in a household where illegal abortions were done almost daily. Born in 1915 to Sicilian, immigrant parents, Francis "Frank" Sinatra was a Hoboken boy from humble and colorful beginnings. After an arrest in his early 20s, he seemed more destined to become New Jersey street tough than one of the most popular performers in history, but Sinatra defied those odds in a big way.

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A Legend Gets His Start

Sinatra's voice was the delight of his family, but it was Bing Crosby who was his first inspiration. After seeing Crosby perform, Sinatra decided to pursue a singing career of his own. Ironically, the two would often be compared to each other later on in life.

Sinatra began singing in local dive bars and performing as a singing waiter in clubs throughout Hoboken, New Jersey. He came to the attention of bandleader Harry James and began recording with him. After their first hit together, "All or Nothing at All," started to rule the air waves, James released Sinatra from his contract, allowing him to team up with band leader Tommy Dorsey. The team was unstoppable, producing hit after hit for two years. However, the terms of their contract rankled Sinatra. He opted to strike out on his own and pursue a solo career.

The Bobby-Soxer Heart Throb

Sinatra's sexual chemistry was as tangible as his resonant baritone. Nicknamed "The Voice" and "Sultan of Swoon," he wooed hordes of young, single, female fans with his music and stage presence. Sinatra continued to top the Billboard charts with hit after hit, and opened up a new target demographic for the music industry, which had traditionally focused on the over-30 market.

His popularity ever on the upswing, Sinatra opened as a solo performer at New York's Paramount Theater to record-breaking crowds. His appearances there in 1942 and then again in 1944 were said to cause near-rioting in the streets from the over 30,000 fans who could not get in to see the show. Performances were sold in tight rotation (movie theatre style back then), and Frank-loving fans who just couldn't get enough would refuse to leave the theater. The same thing happened at New York's City College in 1943, when he played with the New York Philharmonic. Sinatra's talent and appeal were a force to be reckoned with.

A Movie Star is Born

Sinatra's movie acting debut came in 1943 with "Higher and Higher." Ten years later, his astonishing, Oscar-winning performance as an Italian-American soldier in "From Here to Eternity" would catapult him to movie star fame. This first non-singing role opened up new doors for the star, who continued to enjoy success both on the screen and in the recording studio.

A Bad Boy Finds Company

Sinatra's rep as a ladies man was only equaled by his rep as a man's man. The cornerstone of the infamous "Rat Pack," Sinatra and his buddies Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Dean Martin were the quintessential bad boys of the 1960s. Epitomized by hard drinking, womanizing and fun-loving antics, the five men captured the essence of a fading, pre-rock 'n roll era. Sinatra's music and talent, however, were timeless, transcending trend and locking him in as one of the greatest performers of the twentieth century.

Singing a City's Anthem

In 1979, Sinatra recorded "New York, New York," a song written for and performed by Liza Minnelli in the movie of the same name, for his album, "Trilogy: Past Present Future." Sinatra's rendition shifted the song from beloved tune to emotional anthem, capturing the essence of the city he loved and representing his feelings about making it here.

An Unending Legacy

A Frank Sinatra exhibit will be coming to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in 2015. Aptly entitled "Sinatra: An American Icon," the multi-media exhibition will focus on Sinatra's life and career as a singer, performer, actor and recording artist. Its New York debut is presented by The GRAMMY Museum and The Library for the Performing Arts, in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New Haven-based International Festival of Arts & Ideas.

Calling him "the mountain you have to climb," legend Bob Dylan has just recorded an homage album of Sinatra standards titled, "Shadows in the Night."

Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.