Tony Sands admits he doesn’t have Frank Sinatra’s famous blue eyes, “Unfortunately, I have green eyes, but hopefully my vocals make up for that,” said Sands, who has been performing ol’ blue eyes’ songs and impersonating the icon’s voice, mannerisms and style for more than 30 years on stages up and down the East Coast from Key West to Atlantic City and out west in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada.
Sands, who grew up in South Philly listening to his parents’ Sinatra records, will perform his “That’s Life” concert with a six- or eight-piece big band on Thursday, March 19 at Key West Theater.
Sands recently spent some time with The Weekly discussing his craft, his audience and his genuine love for Sinatra’s timeless songbook.
How and when did your passion for singing start? I grew up in a South Philly Italian neighborhood listening to my parents play their Frank Sinatra albums all the time. I started singing his songs when I was as young as 11. Then I sang in bars and nightclubs in my teens and 20s, and realized my first love was the Sinatra songbook, so I started singing those songs in piano bars.
Were your parents huge fans as well? Oh yes. I remember when we used to come down to Florida for vacations, one year my folks got tickets to see Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin at the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami. I was so upset when they said I was too young and wouldn’t be allowed in. I was only 13 or so at the time.
What do you consider your first “big break?” I got discovered by the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City and ended up performing there five nights a week for three years.
In addition to singing Sinatra’s songs, you also emulate his style and mannerisms. How difficult is that to achieve? When you truly love something, you really get into doing the artist and trying to think about what he would do and how he would act. I really get into how I think Sinatra would have felt when performing certain songs.
What about the man and/or the music has captivated you for so long? I was always attracted to his music because when Frank sang, he always painted a picture so the lyrics told a story that people could relate to.
How have your audiences responded over the years? Oh my god, they’ve been so fantastic. Frank knew how to tell a story in a song and you have to bring that to your audience. I try to express how Frank would have sung something, because if I don’t feel it, the audience won’t buy it. You have to put 100% into every song.
Did you ever get the chance to see Frank Sinatra perform live? I did. It was in 1969 or ’70, when I was about 17. I had saved up my money to take a date to see Frank Sinatra at the old Latin Casino near Cherry Hill, New Jersey. That’s where a bunch of the big guys used to play before the casinos came to Atlantic City.
Was it everything you had hoped? It absolutely was. And 10 minutes into the show, Dean Martin walked onto the stage to join Frank. Those guys used to drop in on each other all the time. It was fantastic.
Do you ever get tired of singing the same songs? Never. I could do these songs forever. And if the day ever comes that I do get sick of them, I may as well hang up the microphone.
Really? So you never get sick of singing “New York, New York?” Never, I swear. We end most shows with it, and to hear the audience get involved, especially the New Yorkers, I’ll never tire of that song or the audience’s response.
Frank Sinatra died in May 1998, do you fear your audience is aging as well? Are the days numbered for his music to have such a broad appeal? It’s funny. About 10 or 15 years ago, a guy came up to me and said he had loved the show, but said he imagined I’d only be doing it for another five years or so, given the age of the audience and the songs. But here I am more than a decade later. And just recently, a woman in her 30s came to the show and brought her two teenagers. They all knew all the songs and loved the show. It all starts in the home. My folks played Sinatra, and plenty of people are still listening to his music.
Do you have blue eyes? I don’t. My eyes are green. I tried wearing contacts a few times, but they never felt comfortable. Hopefully my vocals make up for that.
Have you had formal voice training? I’ve had some voice lessons at an early age, but I’m blessed in that it’s not difficult for me to sound like Frank. That sound comes naturally to me, and doesn’t require me to change much. And fortunately for me, Frank’s own voice changed and deepened when he was in his 30s and 40s. His voice lowered an octave or so and that’s when it really started to resonate. Although he’d been performing since he was 15 or 16, he really came into his own later on.
Have you performed in Key West before? Yes, I loved it down there. We were there last January, and I’ll be performing with a lot of the same musicians from Miami. Key West is a great town and Key West Theater is a great venue for my show.
How much longer do you think you’ll be doing these Sinatra shows? I love this so much. I’ll be doing this for as long as my voice holds out. It keeps me busy and I could honestly do it every single day. I love it that much.
Catch Tony Sands’ “That’s Life” concert at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 at Key West Theater.
