Read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.
Our final chapter of the life and work of Sonny Burke covers his association with Frank Sinatra, his music supervisor responsibilities at Warner Bros. Pictures, and as the boss of his own record label, Daybreak Records.
After Frank Sinatra formed Reprise Records in 1960 to control his recordings and sign others he liked, he sold most of it to Warner Bros. in 1963 (with the proviso that none of his recordings would ever go out of print). It turned into a pop label without his involvement. In 1965, Burke became Sinatra’s music supervisor, overseeing his albums and his television specials. As can be heard in the interviews linked below, Burke became part of Frank’s inner circle whom he trusted totally.
Sinatra maintained a presence on the music charts during the early years of their association (he hated “Strangers in the Night” but it turned out to be his biggest single record), but was mostly known as an album artist. By the 1970’s his recording career was unfocused. Assorted singles (including a flirtation with disco) were barely played, and he was unhappy with the material he recorded.
During a recording session in 1978, Burke entered the studio and asked Sinatra for a conference, something few dared to do. According to conductor Vinnie Falcone, Sinatra and Burke spoke for quite a while in the recording booth, and finally Sinatra came out and cancelled the rest of the session; Burke had come up with an idea Frank loved.
Burke wanted to commemorate Sinatra’s 40th anniversary in show business, and had the idea of a three LP set: an album of standards, an album of more contemporary songs, and a special project, all of which Sinatra had never sung before. Sinatra realized that an album such as this would inspire him, as well as be excellent publicity and certainly result in airplay. Billy May would arrange the standards and record them in L.A. (Nelson Riddle was called, but he and Sinatra were on the outs at that time), Don Costa would arrange the more contemporary material and record it in N.Y. (my mentor Jerry Graff was a group singer on one of the sessions), and the third album would be an oratorio with Sinatra, choir and symphony orchestra composed by Gordon Jenkins. Although label head Mo Ostin did not want to release “Trilogy,” of course it came out. The results would be received with both very positive and very negative reaction (the story of the notorious Jenkins composition is too well known to explore here), but Burke’s baby gave Sinatra’s new recordings more media attention than he’d had in years, and the album sold in good numbers.
Happily, Burke was interviewed on more than one occasion on the radio with regard to his work with Sinatra. Here is a 20-minute interview he gave in 1970 as part of a radio documentary.
And a shorter one from the 12-part Project Sintra radio tribute in 1973.
Burke continued his movie and television work. He was music supervisor on such films as “The Wild Bunch,” “The Learning Tree,” and “The Ballad of Cable Hogue.”
In 1971, Burke started his own record label named Daybreak Records, distributed by RCA. Artists included Les Brown and his Band of Renown, Bing Crosby, Count Basie, Manfredo Fest, Bill Hayes, Laurindo Almeida, and two albums with Frank Sinatra Jr., whom he personally mentored. These were arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, who made an album of his own. Riddle was very proud of his work with Frank Jr. “If he hadn’t been Sinatra’s son, he would have been a major star,” Riddle said in anger in a meeting with a Warner Music executive who had unkind things to say about Frank Jr.’s talent (I can vouch for this. I was there).
I always thought it a pity that Burke never recorded his own album for his own label.
Burke died of cancer on May 31, 1980, leaving a wife and four children. He was a giant who seemed to shun personal publicity, which is why I’m delighted I can honor him this way.
