SMART PR Still walkin’ Several entertainers have told me over the years that they generally place friends, media and fans in different categories. After hearing some of their horror stories, especially dealing with the latter two, I understand their caution.
Nancy Sinatra keeps on rockin' with
her first pair of shows in HawaiiBy John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.comEven with that in mind, I couldn't help telling Nancy Sinatra that I thought she looked like a total babe when I saw her in the '60s biker movie "The Wild Angels," and that I was one of the 500,000-plus people who had made "Nancy & Lee" -- her milestone album with Lee Hazelwood -- go gold in 1968. And, in addition to the songs on that album, that two of my other favorite songs by her were from the James Bond movie-themed "You Only Live Twice" and "In Our Time."
"You like 'In Our Time?' I love it," Sinatra said. She sounded both surprised and pleased because the song peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is one of the more obscure singles from her days as a go-go booted pop icon. But because she's helping to publicize her weekend gigs here, you might well assume that she'd have said that about any of her other hits, like "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'," "Love Eyes" or "How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?" But by the time our conversation closed with "I'll see you in Hawaii," my gut feeling was that she wouldn't have said it had she not meant it.
We talked about things that had no immediate connection to her music career, now or then. She spoke about her daughter's wedding in Palm Springs, Calif., last weekend, the challenges of raising two girls by herself after the unexpected death of her husband in 1985, and about interviewers who seem more interested in prying into her legendary father's life than in talking about what she's doing. Sinatra also brought up the fact that, although she first came to Hawaii as a teenager and has been a frequent visitor ever since, she has never performed here.
"We do a lot of the hits, plus some of the real classic rock things like 'Like A Rolling Stone' and a Georgia Satellites song, 'Keep Your Hands to Yourself,' and from my new 'California Girl' CD we do a song called 'California Man.' We do a lot of stuff that really rocks the house," she said, adding that she hopes to catch up with old friends like Jeff Apaka and Tom and Sweetie Moffatt while she's here.
And, to reiterate, Nancy Sinatra will be out here to rock.
"I always worry that people will think I'm doing my father's music and show up and hate the rock 'n' roll, but I think the press has been pretty clear that it's a rock show," she said.
Plus she'll have some great musicians in tow. "This is a great band, a real eclectic group of players of all ages and, by the way, all stars: Clem Burke, who is Blondie's drummer; guitarist Gilby Clarke, who was for a time with Guns N' Roses; and the other guitarist is fabulous -- his name is Lanny Cardola. The bass player has been with me since 1995 and I don't know what I'd do without him, and his name in Tom Lilly. And on keyboards, there's Don Randi of the Wrecking Crew. We've worked together now for thirtysomething years." (The Wrecking Crew was a legendary group of Los Angeles studio musicians during the '60s that included Hawaii resident Lyle Ritz.)
"It's just a wonderful band. It's very tight and very rock -- there's nothing 'milquetoasty' about this band. That's why I'm glad we're playing a bar. That's where we should be with this band."
WITH BOTH HER daughters grown and well-grounded, Sinatra is stepping back into the public spotlight as an entertainer and a role model who wants to make it clear that age is nothing but a number.
"It's important for women to see that just because we get up there into our 60s, it doesn't mean we have to quit. If the men can keep going, so can women ... I want my kids to see that it's important for us to keep going, not quit, not give up."
Besides promoting her new album and performing in locales as far-and-wide as Denmark and Italy (for more information, see www.nancysinatra.com and www.sinatrafamily.com), she'll also be renewing her professional relationship with singer/songwriter Lee Hazelwood, who wrote and produced almost all her early hits.
Hazelwood (currently enjoying a revitalized career of his own, thanks to the interest of a younger generation) was the guy who launched Sinatra's career as a solo recording artist before joining her to record the polished country-meets-pop confections that marked the peak of her early success as a Top 40 hitmaker.
"That's my favorite stuff, the duets that we did, but if we could get in and do some new songs, we could back it up with a tour and that's what people want to see. Wherever I perform, people ask for things like 'Summer Wine,' 'Some Velvet Morning,' 'Sand' and 'Jackson,' but I don't do those without him. Even though he does those songs without me when he performs, getting other people to sing with him, I don't do that. It's almost sacrilegious to me!
"He said he wanted to go in and record this month, so I just keep hoping that I'm going to hear from him. He had a tour of Europe that ended on the 23rd of September, and he did say that he had some songs for us to do.
"I can't wait to get back in the studio with him. I think the last time we recorded anything together was in 1982 or 1983 and they were just demos, so I'm excited about the prospect."
But Sinatra's talent is not limited to rock; she has also performed in quieter, more elegant settings.
"Right now, I'm happy with the rock thing, but I did four nights at the Hollywood Roosevelt with just piano, upright bass, guitar and drums. It was lovely and it was kind of biographical because it talked about my life ... and I'll do that again."
Where: Gussie L'Amour's, 3251 N. Nimitz Highway In concert
When: 8:30 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday
Tickets: $35; $30 advance-sale tickets available at Gussie L'Amour's and the Gold Zone
Call: 836-7883 or 622-6928
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calendars and events.
