Newspaper Article

FAMILY HASSLES MARK DECLINING YEARS Series: \Sinatra: Behind the Legend\ Frank Sinatra Part 5 of 5

J. Randy Taraborrelli Copyright J. Randy Taraborrelli Distributed by New York Times Special Features

1998

Overview

Editor's Note: J. Randy Taraborrelli, who has written biographies of Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, has a new book, \"Sinatra: Behind the Legend\" (Birch Lane Press, $27.50). In this unauthorized biography, Taraborrelli chronicles the life of the great singer, who turned 82 on Dec. 12 and has been in failing health. About a month before his birthday, a television special was taped at the Shrine Auditorium (in Los Angeles) to celebrate the event. It had been (his wife) Barbara Sinatra's and producer and longtime family friend George Schlatter's idea to put together a show, the proceeds of which would go to AIDS Project Los Angeles and the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center. With entertainment such as choreographer Paula Abdul performing a dance routine to \"Luck Be a Lady,\" rap trio Salt-N-Peppa singing their \"Whatta Man\" as a preposterous tribute to Frank, rockers Hootie and the Blowfish singing \"The Lady Is a Tramp,\" and pop singer Seal singing \"I've Got You Under My Skin,\" most Sinatra aficionados were hard-pressed to understand what any of this madness really had to do with Frank Sinatra.

• Publisher: Pulitzer, Inc