(RockAndMetal.com) (08/25/04)

By Michael Bennett

NEW YORK, NY, USA - NANCY SINATRA has collaborated with a series of well-known performers to create her forthcoming self-titled album which pairs the music icon with an eclectic group of artists who admire, or feel they were influenced by, Sinatra's music.

The album is slated for worldwide release on September 28th on the Attack label, which is distributed by Sanctuary Records.

In the meantime, the first single from Sinatra's upcoming album, 'Let Me Kiss You,' a Morrissey-penned song, is due for issuance on September 14th.

The single marks the first joint effort for Sinatra and Morrissey, who are friends and mutual fans.

"This song is singularly Morrissey, and I was more than excited to sing it with and for him," says Sinatra.

Pulp's Jarvis Cocker also contributed two songs to the project and plays with a backing ensemble that includes former Smithereens member Dennis Diken on drums, Sonic Youth's Jim O'Rourke on bass and Richard Hawley on guitar.

"Both of Jarvis' songs are very Nancy," says Sinatra.

"We just had a ball recording them with what was a great band!

Hawley, who traveled with Cocker from the UK for the sessions, is an incredibly gifted guitarist."

'Ain't No Easy Way,' a classic song from Nancy Sinatra's extensive catalog, becomes explosive this time around with the addition of Jon Spencer's howling vocals and blues guitar.

"I love performing with Jon. His energy is palpable on stage."

U2's Bono and The Edge have provided Sinatra 'Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad,' originally written for Nancy's father Frank.

"It's a little difficult emotionally because this is about Dad, but it's a bang-on description of him."

With singer/songwriter Pete Yorn, Nancy also cut the track 'Don't Mean Nothing,' written by Yorn.

Coincidentally, the recording pairs two New Jersey-born artists.

"Pete gave me three songs to pick from and that wasn't easy to do!"

"All of them were funky and interesting musically. I think we chose the best one for the two of us to perform."

"Besides, the title is connected to my Vietnam Veterans, who often say those very words."

"Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth wrote 'Momma's Boy' for me and it is one of the best in the album; kind of spooky and dark."

Steve Van Zandt's 'Baby Please Don't Go' turned out to be a rocker, and I think it's one of his best ever."

Calexico's 'Burnin' Down the Spark' is classic Nancy. Joey Burns and company captured the essence completely with their beautiful track."

In the mid 1960s, Nancy Sinatra took the image of a girl crying over her diary for a boy who wouldn't behave, and changed it to a woman who let her men know in no uncertain terms just how things were going to be.

Songs like 'So Long Babe' and 'How Does that Grab You, Darlin'?' helped her do it.

Meanwhile, 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin' kicked the doors wide open for a whole new category of women in rock.

Nancy Sinatra's "tough girl" attitude preceded women's liberation and created the first rebel chick singer, and a female revolution was born.

Armed with a signature style, catchy songs, memorable album covers and sexy, soft but confident pictures in magazines, Nancy Sinatra hit the charts 22 times, becoming a role model for young, independent women as well as an icon of pop culture.

After 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin' went to #1 in 1966, the theme of independence and free thinking that appealed to women and men was perpetuated by 'How Does That Grab You,' a #7 charter and 'Sugar Town,' a #4 chart record.

Sinatra's recording of the title song of the James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice" also became an anthem for many who still request it when she performs today.

Her #1 record with her father, 'Somethin' Stupid,' is always on the "best of" lists, as are many of her duets with mentor/producer Lee Hazlewood.

'Jackson,' 'Some Velvet Morning,' 'Sand,' 'Summer Wine' and others were also chart records.

The core of her original band (some of whom still perform with her) was the world-famous "Wrecking Crew," L.A.'s finest rhythm section, who also worked with The Beach Boys, The Righteous Brothers, Phil Spector and other Pop/Rock legends.

Producers considers herself fortunate to have worked with are Don Costa, Bones Howe, Snuff Garrett, Charles Calello, Jimmy Bowen, Tutti Camarratta, Lee Hazlewood, L. Russell Brown, Billy Strange and Duane Eddy and now AJ and Matt Azzarto.

Nancy's current band has included former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and drummers Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello's band and Clem Burke of Blondie.

Nancy Sinatra also appeared on a staple of television variety shows over the years, including "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," "The Glen Campbell Show," "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson" and "The Bobby Darin Show."

She also made several guest appearances on "Laugh-In," "The Perry Como Show," "The Kraft Music Hall," "Hollywood Palace" and many others, as well as on "Hippodrome" and "Top Of The Pops" in the UK.

During the Vietnam War, Sinatra was a favorite pin-up for the G.I.'s stationed on the battlefields and warships.

In the liner notes of her "Sugar" album, Lee Hazlewood tried to explain the dichotomy of the Nancy Sinatra persona, which seemed to capture so many hearts.

He called her "a girl and a woman who is quiet and noisy, square yet hip."

Nancy Sinatra often jokes about her film career, but the fact remains that she did seven movies, two of which, "Speedway" with Elvis Presley and "The Wild Angels" with Peter Fonda, made her the top female box-office draw two years in a row.

There were many other milestones along the way: record breaking appearances in Las Vegas, Juke Box Awards, Grammy nominations and an Emmy winning television special, conceived and produced by Nancy, called 'Movin' with Nancy.'

Sinatra has written two books about her legendary father, with the hope of setting the record straight about his life.

She is also pursuing the commission of a statue of Frank Sinatra to be placed in Times Square near the Paramount Theatre (where he created a record breaking sensation and incited the birth of the "Bobby Soxers"), as a lasting gift to the city of New York.

For several years, Nancy Sinatra has also been working toward establishing the National Museum Of American Music, an educational facility and repository for the collected libraries of the greatest contributors to the heritage of American music.

Work will soon begin on a documentary film about her father.

Sinatra also continues to be very active in politics and charitable causes, including "Songs Of Love," which creates original songs, personalized for children with terminal illnesses.

She is also involved with The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and The Thalians, who operate mental health clinics out of Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Over the years requests from fundraisers for donations of pairs of Nancy Sinatra's boots have resulted in auctions benefiting many worthy organizations.

In 1995, after raising her two daughters and seeing them off to college, Sinatra re-started her career with her "One More Time" album and a Playboy pictorial.

The latter demonstrated once again that sexuality and feminism are not mutually exclusive.

She also performed sold-out shows in both The United States and Scandinavia, concentrating stateside on reconnecting with the rock music audience by playing such venues as The Limelight in New York City, RPM in Toronto, The Fillmore in San Francisco, The Trocadero in Philadelphia and The Whisky, The Viper Room and the House Of Blues in Los Angeles.

It was on tour that Nancy Sinatra learned first-hand of the influence she had on many younger rock musicians.

Kim Deal of The Breeders and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth were two of the musicians who came to Nancy's shows to express their appreciation for her lighting the way.

Madonna has been quoted as saying "Nancy Sinatra was a huge influence on me. I wanted to put on my go-go boots and walk all over someone."

In an early interview, she said "...my two oldest fantasies: One was to be Nancy Sinatra; the other was to be a nun."

I used to sing 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin'' in front of the mirror, in my uniform skirt."

Kelly Osbourne also stated she patterned her video for 'Papa Don't Preach' after "Nancy Sinatra's kinky Boots video."

In July of 1999, The United States Postal Service enlisted Nancy to unveil their Peace Symbol stamp.

At that event, Nancy Sinatra received official commendations from the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Governor of California for her efforts on behalf of the peace movement and for her consistent support of our military troops and Veterans.

She also was presented with the key to the City of West Hollywood.

August 2002 marked Nancy Sinatra's first ever concert performance in the UK.

The sold-out event was recorded by and broadcast on the BBC.

In 2003, her version of "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) " was handpicked by acclaimed film director Quentin Tarantino for his film 'Kill Bill Volume I.'

He chose Sinatra's version of the Sonny Bono-penned song as the theme for the movie's opening credits.

According to Tarantino, Nancy Sinatra's version of "Bang Bang" is "the music the movie will work to the beat of... That was in my head six years ago when I first came up with 'Kill Bill.'"

"Nancy's version is so soulful. She sings it like poetry."

"It gives you new respect for what a wonderful vocalist she is," Tarantino says.

The first live presentation of songs from the new album occurred in a sold out performance by Sinatra and her band at the June 2004 Meltdown Festival at London's Royal Festival Hall.

Nancy Sinatra is also scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, in recognition of her career achievements and her contributions to society.

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