Frank Sinatra made music.
Francis Albert Sinatra ( [ sᵻˈnɑːtrə ] [ siˈnaːtra ] ; December 12 , 1915 -- May 14 , 1998 ) was an American singer , actor , and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century . Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943 , becoming the idol of the `` bobby soxers '' . In 1965 , he recorded the retrospective September of My Years , starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra : A Man and His Music , and released the tracks `` Strangers in the Night '' and `` My Way '' . After his death , American music critic Robert Christgau called him `` the greatest singer of the 20th century '' , and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure .