A Storied Singer: Frank Sinatra as Literary Conceit

Greenwood Press, 2002

"'Something's On Her Mind': Frank (Sinatra) and Frankie (Valli) Sing (Betty) Friedan"

An article on the Bob Gaudio / Jake Holmes albums

Watertown (1970)

and

The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette (1969).

Frank Sinatra: But Buddy I'm a Kind of Poem

Entasis Press, 2008

Tuesday's Program

Hey, it may be a theme-less playlist tomorrow,

but it'll still swing.

Tune in at 8 AM!

"Frank, Gil, and Friends"

Tuesdays, 8-10 AM

on-air: WFCS 107.7 FM New Britain/Hartford

and

on-line: www.wfcsradio1077.com

FGF: Quite frankly why you have ears!

"Frank Sinatra, St. Cecilia, and Alexander the Great Go to Vietnam"

An article about Frank Sinatra's sole directorial effort,

None But the Brave (1965).

A free screening of the film is set for Friday, November 13th, at 2:00 PM

in Torp Theatre in Davidson Hall, at

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT

The History of "Frank, Gil, and Friends" (Part VII)

Locations, Near and Far, Whence Listeners (Whom We Know) Have Tuned In

A Caribbean Cruise
Cuba
France (Paris and Guerande)

Germany 

Great Britain (London, Manchester, Hatfield)

India 

(TWICE by different listeners!)

Ireland

Italy (Rome, Barolo, et al.)

Sicily

Spain

Saudi Arabia

Arizona
California
Florida
Indiana
Illinois

Kentucky
Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Mexico

Ohio

South Carolina
South Dakota

Texas

Virginia

Whence are you listening?

On tomorrow's program...

...in preparation of Thursday's International Education Fair at CCSU,

two hours of songs about the four corners of the world...

(AND a visit from a special guest from the Center for International Education)

Tune in at 8 AM: WFCS 107.7 FM and www.wfcsradio1077.com

The History of "Frank, Gil, and Friends" (Part VI)

Some Themes of Past Shows

63rd Anniversary of Judy at Carnegie Hall

Happy 75th, Billy Joel!

Happy 75th, Nick Lowe!

Cincinnati Gals: Doris and Rosie 

TEBOW! 

"All the Way" All the Time

A Salute to Cole Porter

The Popular Sinatra: The songs that made the charts throughout Sinatra's career

Foreign Language Day: Nothing but songs in languages other than English

Michele Monro talks about her book The Singer's Singer: The Life and Music of Matt Monro 

New Britain's Own Conrad Gozzo: You've heard him, even if you've never heard OF him

Come Fly with Me:  A commemoration of Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic

Mama Will Bark:  A salute to Michael Vick

Olga, Frank-Incense, and (Mac)Murr(ay):

A radio production of the Sinatra film The Miracle of The Bells 

Frank, Gi, and Friends: It must be a Christmas show because there's no "L"

Hart Attack: A tribute to lyricist Lorenz (Larry) Hart

Counts, Dukes, and Ladies -The African-American Influences on Sinatra:

One of the annual Black History Month shows

It's Alright Ma, I'm only Aging: A Bob Dylan 65th Birthday Celebration

 Klaus von Bulow's Day Off -- When Sunny Gets Blue:

Songs from High Society which was filmed at the Rhode Island estate later bought by

Martha (Sunny) von Bulow

The All-Sinatra-Music-But-No-Sinatra Program: Only songs thatmention him

A Campus-Wide Sinatra 90th Birthday Celebration:

Members from all across the CCSU community reading poems of contemporary

writers inspired by the art and life of Frank  Sinatra  

None But the Braff: The Sinatra tribute cd by Ruby Braff

The Lusty Month of (Billy) May: A salute to one of Frank's favorite arrangers

To Bea or Not to Bea (Arthur): Songs from the 1920s when the late actress was born

A "Feast Day" Program: St. Eulalia and the Not-So-Saintly Francis Albert

Prisoner of Love: The 75th Anniversary of Alcatraz

Come Parse with Me: Frank and Latin Grammar

Happiness is NOT a Warm Gun: The 29th Anniversary of John Lennon's Murder

Hail, Janus!: Looking backward and forward at Sinatra's recording career from 1966,

the mid-point year.

Who's the Boss(a Nova): Sinatra and Jobim

Lena Horne: RIP

Sinatra Centennial Activities @CCSU

New Britain Herald, Sunday, September 13, 2015 9:15 pm

SCENE @ CCSU: Radio specials, film screenings to mark Sinatra's 100th 

By the CCSU Office of Marketing & Communications

CCSU’s year-long celebration of Frank Sinatra’s birth centenary continues this fall with a variety of activities, including free films, a panel discussion, an evening lecture, a weekly radio show, and will culminate on the singer’s 100th birthday in December with a 24-hour music marathon on the campus station, WFCS, 107.7 FM.
The CCSU Alumni Association will show three free movies as part of its “Classic Fridays” series: “From Here to Eternity” (1953), featuring Frank’s Academy-Award winning performance, on Sept. 18; the Cold War classic “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) on Oct. 30; and Sinatra’s sole directorial effort, “None But the Brave” (1965), on Nov. 13. Each film begins at 2 p.m. in Torp Theatre in Davidson Hall and will be introduced by a different CCSU faculty expert: Brian Folker and Lee Einhorn, associate professors in the English Department, and Jerold Duquette, associate professor of Political Science. No tickets or reservations are required.

On Friday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m., also in Torp Theatre, the English Department will screen the powerful civil rights film “Kings Go Forth” (1958), starring Sinatra, Natalie Wood and Tony Curtis. The movie will be followed by a panel of CCSU professors: Carol Austad from the Peace Studies Program; Beverly Johnson from African-American Studies; Thom Delventhal from the Theatre Department; and Karen Ritzenhoff from Cinema Studies. Both the film and panel are free and open to the public.

At the Lucy Robbins Welles Library in Newington, our own Sinatraphile Gilbert Gigliotti, professor of English, will host a three-film Sinatra series on Wednesdays in October and November: Hollywood legend Frank Capra’s “A Hole in the Head” (1959) on Oct. 7; Sinatra’s greatest collaboration with Gene Kelly, “On the Town” (1949) on Oct. 21; and the great World War II escape film “Von Ryan’s Express” (1965) on Nov. 4. All movies are free and begin at 6:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Dec. 3, from 6-8:30 p.m., CCSU’s Continuing Education Department will kick off its new cabaret-style speaker series with “The CLASS-ic Sinatra,” an evening celebrating the life and art of Ol’ Blue Eyes, with Gigliotti’s discussion (including music and video excerpts) of why Sinatra still matters. The small cost of $20 will support the scholarship fund of College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) and include hors d’oeuvres, coffee, and tea. A cash bar also will be available to toast the Birthday Boy his way. The program will be held at CCSU in Memorial Hall’s Constitution Room.

CCSU has celebrated Sinatra regularly since 1993 on its weekly radio show, “Frank, Gil and Friends” (Tuesdays 8-10 a.m.), on WFCS and wfcsradio1077.com. But on Saturday, Dec. 12, Frank’s birthday, WFCS is planning something special: a Sinatra marathon from midnight-11:59 p.m. What could be a more fitting way to fete the man who toasted his audiences with, “May you live to be 100, and may the last voice you hear be mine!”

Mark your calendars and join us this fall at CCSU — where the Sinatra Centennial is Central!

The History of "Frank, Gil, and Friends" (Part V)

(Some of the) Guests Over the Years

Frank Sinatra, Jr., scion, singer, and band leader

Michele Monro, daughter of Matt and author of The Singer's Singer: The Life and Music of Matt Monro (06/01/10) 

Will Friedwald, author of Sinatra The Song Is You: The Singer's Art

Tom Santopietro, author, Sinatra in Hollywood (11/03/09) 

Anthony Rudel, author, Hello, Everybody: The Dawn of American Radio (10/13/09)

David Lloyd, poet, The Gospel According to Frank (9/29/09)

Rob Zappulla, trumpeter and vocalist, You Ought to be Having Fun, with back-up singers Nick Pastula and Cecilia Gigliotti (7/21/09)

Kate Callahan, Official Connecticut State Troubadour (3/29/16)

Merlin Mann, web guru  (pictured)

Alfred J Masciocchi, a.k.a., “Long-Time Listener Al”

Thom Delventhal, in a one-man performance of Playing Sinatra by Bernard Kops

The cast of CCSU's It's a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play (December 2014)

Duets III: Sinatra and Academe: CCSU professors, their research, and the host's valiant attempts to connect it to Sinatra (with, among others, Abigail Adams, Carrie Andreoletti, Louis Auld, Candace Barrington, David Blitz, Gloria Caliendo, Matt Ciscel, Jacqueline Cobbina-Boivin, Steve Cox, Guy Crundwell, Christine Doyle, Susan Gilmore, Victoria Ginter, Jason B. Jones, Andrea June, Paul Karpuk, Peter Kilduff, Larry Klein, Paloma LaPuerta, Kris Larsen, Vivian Martin, Mark McLaughlin, Pam Perry, Paul Petterson, Paul Resetarits, Karen Ritzenhoff, Ben Sevitch, David Spector, Barry Westcott, Armand Zottolla, and Cindy White (pictured).

Frank and Dean(s): CCSU Deans Michael Alfano (Education and Professional Studies), Glynis Fitzgerald (Graduate), Faris Malhas (Engineering, Science, and Technology), Zdzislaw Kremens (Engineering and Technology), Paulette Lemma (Graduate), Susan Pease (Arts and Sciences/ College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences), Siamack Shojai (Business), and Mitch Sakofs (Education and Professional Studies), not to mention Provost and Academic Vice President Carl Lovitt

The last five Presidents of Central Connecticut State University (Zulma Toro, Jack Miller, Robert Aebersold (acting), Richard Judd, and Merle Harris (acting)

(Well, not really Dinah Shore...)

 
  

The History of "Frank,Gil, and Friends" (Part IV)

HISTORY OF FGF OPENING SONGS 

December 1993-September 1996:

     "Say Hello" (Cahn/Behrke; rec. by Frank Sinatra, 1981)

September 1996-February 1998:

     "Sunday" (Miller/Krueger/Conn/Styne; rec. by Frank Sinatra, 1954)

February 1998-February 2001:

     "Mr. Success" (Sanicola/Greines/Sinatra; rec. by Frank Sinatra, 1958)

February 2001-December 2004:

     "It's a Breeze" (Kentridge; rec. by Matt Monro, 1965)

December 2004-December 2009:

     "When Sinatra Played Juarez" (Russell; rec. by Tom Russell, 2001)

8 December 2009 - 23 February 2010:

       "Bobby Sox Blues" (T-Bone Walker, 1946)

2 March 2010 -17 August 2010:

        "We're on Our Way" (Frank Sinatra, et al., 1948)

31 August 2010 - 3 January 2012:

       "You Keep Me Swingin'" (Matt Monro, 19??)

10 January 2012- 8 September 2015:

      "I Will Drink the Wine" (Paul Ryan, rec. by Frank Sinatra, 10/26/1970)

15 September 2015 - 8 December 2015

     "All of Me" (Gerald Marks/Seymour Simons, rec. by Sinatra, 4/19/1954)

15 December 2015 - 8 March 2016

     SEARCHING FOR A NEW THEME SONG

15 March 2016 - 9 January 2018

     "Sinatra's Dead" (Joe Mannix, rec. by Mannix, 2000)

23 January 2018 - 22 October 2019:

     "The Singer" (Joe Cocuzzo/Vincent Falcone, Jr., rec. by Rosemary Clooney, 2001)

29 October 2019 - 10 March 2020

    "Frank Sinatra's Party" (Paul McCartney)

COVID-19 Pandemic Hiatus 

15 September 2020 - 17 November 2020

    "It's Only a Paper Moon" (Harold Arlen; Billy Rose; Y.A. "Yip" Harburg, rec. by Sinatra 4/24/50)

24 November 2020 - 23 August 2022

    "Bobby Sox Idol" (Wilmoth Houdini, 1947)

30 August 2022 - Present

    "Will You Still be Mine?" (Matt Dennis; Tom Adair, rec. by Connie Francis, 1964)

The History of "Frank, Gil, and Friends" (Part III)

The Playlist of the Very First Show

Say Hello

Then Suddenly Love

Bob Goes My Heart

Zing Went the Strings of My Heart

South of the Border

Hallelujah, I Love Her So

Look at Me Now

Love Walked In

Ring a Ding Ding

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered

Say It

Some Enchanted Evening

At Long Last Love

It Only Happens When I Dance With You

Yes, Indeed

Love is the Tender Trap

Guys and Dolls

The Future

Theme and Variations

The Song is You (1942, 1958, and 1979)

I'm Gonna Live 'Til I Die

A Hundred Years From Today

Five Minutes More

Castle Rock

Mrs. Robinson

Ol' MacDonald

Bim Bam Baby

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

Luck Be a Lady

Come Blow Your Horn

Pick Yourself Up

Soliloquy

French Foreign Legion

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

The History of "Frank, Gil, and Friends" (Part II)

Timeslots

Fridays, 8-10 AM            December 1993-January 1995

Wednesdays, 12-2 PM      January 1995-August 1996

Sundays, 6-8 PM             September 1996-February 1998

Tuesdays, 6-8 AM           February 1998-September 1999

Tuesdays, 8-10 AM         September 1999-Present

SAVE THE DATE: 12/3/15 @ CCSU

Thursday, December 3, 2015, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Continuing Education will kick off its cabaret-style speaker series with “The CLASS-ic Sinatra,” an evening celebrating the life, music, and movies of Ol’ Blue Eyes, with CCSU’s own Frank expert Gil Gigliotti.

"The CLASS-ic Sinatra"

The small cost of $20 will support the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) scholarship fund and include hors d'oeuvres, coffee, and tea.

A cash bar also will be available to toast the Birthday Boy! The programis held on the CCSU campus in the Constitution Room in Memorial Hall.

Stay tuned for more details! If you have any questions, please contact Judy at ratcliffejuv@ccsu.edu or 860-832-2276.

The History of "Frank, Gil, and Friends" (Part I)

1st show: Friday, 17 December 1993, 8-10 AM

100th show: Wednesday, 25 February 1996, 12-2 PM

In memoriam, Frank Show: Tuesday, 5/15/98, 6-8 AM

200th show: Tuesday, 24 July 1998, 6-8 AM 

300th show: Tuesday, 24 October 2000, 8-10 AM

400th show: Tuesday, 20 May 2003, 8-10 AM

500th show: Tuesday, 6 September 2005, 8-10 AM

600th show: Tuesday, 16 October 2007, 8-10 AM 

700th show: Tuesday, 24 November 2009, 8-10 AM

800th show: Tuesday, 17 January 2012, 8-10 AM

900th show: Tuesday, 4 March 2014, 8-10 AM

1000th Show: Tuesday, 12 April 2016, 8-10 AM

1077th Show: Tuesday, 23 January 2018, 8-10 AM

25th Anniversary Show: Monday, 17 December 2018, 7-9 AM (Show #????)

3/10/2020 - 9/7/2020: Hiatus forced by shut down of campus due to COVID-19

9/8/2020: "Frank, Gil, and Friends" is BACK!

1300th Show: Tuesday, 11 April 2023, 8-10 AM 

12/12/24: FGF 30th Anniversary Show / FAS's 111th Birthday

Why "Frank, Gil, and Friends"?

Airing on WFCS 107.7 FM New Britain/Hartford, CT, since December 1993, “Frank, Gil, and Friends” is THE ALTERNATIVE SINATRA RADIO PROGRAM. 

While we play Sinatra songs from throughout his remarkable and extensive recording career (well, except "My Way" and "New York, New York" since they are ubiquitous), we also play friends like Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee, et alia.

What sets “FGF” apart, however, is the program's vast catalogue of Frank tribute albums and songs that mention Sinatra (from the well-known, like the Pogues' "Fairy Tale of New York" and Bon Jovi's "My Life," to the lesser known, such as "Sinatra's Dead" by Mannix and "Bobby Sox Blues" by T-Bone Walker).

Our goal, in short, is to show how Frank is EVERYWHERE!

So, who's ready for "Frank Gil and Friends" show #968?

Then tune in this morning at 8 AM.

(Don't worry, there'll be something from Trilogy.)

Welcome to the official blog of "Frank, Gil, and Friends"!

Keep coming back to find out about the weekly radio show's 

playlists, plans, special Sinatra events, and guests!

And, of course, tune in EVERY Tuesday morning for another two hours of Sinatra's music on:

WFCS 107.7 FM New Britain / Hartford

and 

www.wfcsradio1077.com