Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday will be celebrated with an all-star TV tribute featuring the likes of Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, Alicia Keys and John Legend, organizers announced today.
Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood and Usher are also among the stars lined up for the primetime special Sinatra 100 — An All-Star GRAMMY Concert, which will be taped Dec. 2 at Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theatre.
Don Costa, Gordon Jenkins, Quincy Jones and Nelson Riddle will contribute arrangements for the one-off event, which will be broadcast Dec. 6 on the CBS Television Network.
According to organizers The Recording Academy, AEG Ehrlich Ventures and CBS, the special will integrate performances of Sinatra classics with rare archival footage narrated by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself. And it will be the only televised concert special celebrating Sinatra’s milestone.
“Frank Sinatra is a voice for all generations. His showmanship and artistry have remained unmatched since he began performing professionally in the 1930s to his last recording 21 years ago,” said Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy. “Today, he continues to gain popularity for his classic sound and signature style. It’s only fitting that we join the global celebration in honor of his 100th birthday.”
Sinatra was born Dec. 12, 1915. The nine-time Grammy winner died in 1998 at the age of 82.
“My personal memories of Frank remind me that he was a class act who also knew how to have fun. That’s what this celebration will be,” added executive producer Ken Ehrlich of AEG Ehrlich Ventures. “By partnering with Steve Wynn and featuring Las Vegas as the backdrop, the evening will be a party the Rat Pack would be proud of.”
Notes Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music and live Events, CBS Entertainment: “To have the opportunity to celebrate the life and art of The Chairman of the Board on his 100th birthday, and witness the lasting effects his music has had on artists today with a star-studded Grammy concert, is a true honor.”
Several more Sinatra 100 events are scheduled for 2015 including a new collection of music — Ultimate Sinatra, and the multimedia exhibit Sinatra: An American Icon which will premiere in Los Angeles at the GRAMMY Museum on Oct. 21. A special tribute concert for Sinatra was held at The Park at the Grove earlier this month.
Sinatra 100 — An All-Star GRAMMY Concert is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC. Ken Ehrlich is the executive producer, Lou Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ehrlich are writers.
Additional performers will be announced in due course.
