One of the most interesting music collaborations took place on March 26, 1960, when Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra came together and put on a very special show. And to say that this was a big deal would be an understatement. You see, at the time, Sinatra was not a big fan of Elvis nor this newfangled “rock & roll” music. In fact, he expressed his utter contempt for the genre stating in 1957 that he felt the music was “phony and false.” He said it’s performed and written mostly by “cretinous goons” and was the “martial music of every sideburned delinquent on the face of the earth.” He further (yes further) went on to say that it was “the most brutal, ugly, desperate, vicious form of expression it has been my misfortune to hear.”
So, in other words, he wasn’t a big fan. However, in the spring of 1960, Sinatra shocked everyone when he announced that he would be hosting a special featuring Elvis called “The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis.” Although the show would be filmed in March, it wouldn’t air until May 8, 1960. At this time, Elvis was coming home from his tour in the Army, and the singer wasn’t sure how fans would receive him back home. He wasn’t sure just how long rock & roll would last and if he would become a fossil in the music business. It turns out that things were not so great before he went into the Army. For example, police in Los Angeles threatened to arrest the entertainer if he gyrated his hips the way he had done during a show he held the previous night.
Image via YouTube
During the show, the two legends performed well together; however, you could tell there was just a hint of condescension in Sinatra’s demeanor. After all, Elvis was still the “wet behind the ears” kid in his eyes, and we all know how he felt about his kind of music. However, Elvis showed great deference and respect to his elder showman and even adopted his style to blend in more smoothly with Sinatras. And over the years, the two men are said to have developed a very good friendship, especially when during Elvis’ Las Vegas residency. In fact, Sinatra even loaned Elvis and Priscilla his private jet when they flew from Palm Springs to Las Vegas to get married.
Image via YouTube
You can watch Elvis and Frank performing “Love me Tender” in the video below.
