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Harry James Motivation

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As soon as 1939 when he had joined Harry James’ music makers, a frenzy of female fans ensued. Connie Haines, a singer who began working with Harry James at the time, recalled the reaction of fans after Frank’s first performance with James; “After the first show, the screaming started in the theater, and those girls came backstage. There were about twenty of them… it happened, it was real, it was not a gimmick” (Kaplan 76). The biggest height of the hysteria had to have been in October of 1944: the Paramount/Columbus Day Riot. Around 30,000 of Sinatra’s fans, many of which were teenage girls nicknamed bobbysoxers, lined up for his show at the Paramount Theatre in Times Square (Doyle). The amount let in was over the safe capacity and thousands more waited outside for shows later on in the day. However, only a few hundred would leave from the previous shows causing a frenzy to ensue outside; over 400 people from the police department were stationed for the day’s chaotic events (Kaplan 227).

There was obviously a strong passion within Sinatra’s early fan base. This could be a result of an intimate connection Frank emitted to them. Writer Francis Davis …show more content…

Frank Sinatra made moves to confirm his desire through his life due to an unpredictable temper: many were of an violent nature. Early on while working with Tommy Dorsey, drummer Buddy Rich was fed up with having to adhere to Sinatra’s slow ballads and called Sinatra a “son-of-a-b- wop bast---” (Kaplan 117). At this, Frank threw a glass water pitcher at Rich’s head, just missing him. Rich tackled Sinatra and they were in a fist-brawl. As a result Dorsey kept Rich and sent Sinatra home for that night’s show. Frank ended up hiring some Hoboken friends to punch Rich in the face a few nights later (Kaplan 118). It was reported in the news, but it was unknown to the public who had attacked Buddy

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