Tommy Dorsey Was Like a Father to Him
During his first year with the Dorsey band, Sinatra recorded over 40 songs. As his success and popularity grew, Frank begged Dorsey to let him record some solo songs. Dorsey gave in, and by January 1942, Sinatra recorded songs like “Night and Day,” “The Night We Called It a Day,” and “The Song is You.” After those 1942 recordings, Sinatra was convinced that he needed to go solo.
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But Dorsey was a major influence on Sinatra, who saw him as a father figure. Sinatra would mimic Dorsey’s mannerisms and traits, becoming a perfectionist like him, and even adopted his hobby of toy trains. Sinatra later said how “The only two people I’ve ever been afraid of are my mother and Tommy Dorsey.”