Frank Sinatra Invented The Internet

anthonyjmiccio | May 5, 2008 4:30 am
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USA Weekend celebrated the tenth anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s passing with a series of rememberances from friends, legendary figures, and Gay Talese. While it was touching to read Bill Clinton and Tony Bennett respectively recall discussing Duets and founding the Frank Sinatra School Of The Arts, the most startling revelation involved his Web site. Did you know that Nancy Sinatra would read him messages from franksinatra.com, and that he would dictate his response to her? In 1997? His passing was already tragic enough without knowing how enthusiastic he was about the ever-blossoming information superhighway. The ol’ Reprise CEO might have shown ding-a-lings like Trent Reznor and Thom Yorke how it’s done.

My dad may have been old school in certain ways, but he was on top of all the new technology. He stayed on the Internet until the end. He and I started his official website together (now franksinatra.com). He loved it. He’d read comments from fans all over the world and dictate his thanks to them through me. (I did the typing.) It made him happy to see people who were as young as 14 or 15, who had discovered his music, writing to him.

“Please keep this site going,” he said to me. “It’s really a great way to stay in touch.” I’m so glad he was able to see that before he died.

RIP, Frank. I would have loved to see your vlog.

Remembering Frank Sinatra [USA Weekend via Online Fandom]