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The American Treasure of Sinatra, plus DMSO’S 24th Yankee Doodle Pops

Who was Frank Sinatra? One of America’s most treasured performers came from humble beginnings in Hoboken, New Jersey. He was the only son of Sicilian immigrant parents. His father was a city firefighter, and his mother was an amateur singer who often performed for social events. As Frank grew older, he became inspired by the likes of Rudy Vallee and Bing Crosby, and decided to drop out of high school to become a singer himself. He sang in New Jersey night clubs and caught the attention of swing bandleaders. His career took off when he joined Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, one of the most popular ensembles in the country.

What followed for Sinatra was a decades-long career in jazz performance and film acting. His fan base was the first to reach near hysteria during his live performances, long before the infamous frenzy of Elvis Presley and Beatles fans became the norm. Sinatra appeared in over forty films throughout his lifetime, and worked as a producer for seven. The legacy of “Old Blue Eyes” lives on through his influences current musical styles. He will forever be considered one of the most outstanding popular singers of the twentieth century.

The Des Moines Symphony and Maestro Joseph Giunta are joined by guest vocalist Steve Lippia to perform jazz favorites made famous by Frank Sinatra for the DMSO’s 24th annual Yankee Doodle Pops Concert. The show kicks off with “Oh Say, Can You Sing?” contest winner Stephanie Schneider performing The Star-Spangled Banner. The program also features rousing patriotic marches, and concludes with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, complete with howitzer canons and fireworks.

Join Iowa Public Radio on Monday, July 3rd for this special broadcast of the Des Moines Symphony’s 2017 Yankee Doodle Pops concert, live from the West Terrace of the Iowa State Capitol. Don’t miss the pre-show hosted by IPR producers Jacqueline Halbloom and Karen Impola starting at 8:00 p.m., and mark your calendars for a second broadcast of this concert on Veteran's Day.

Jacqueline Halbloom is a Sr. Music Producer and Classical Music Host