July 13, 1939 —
When Frank Sinatra was just starting out as a singer, he carried his own P.A. system to the dives in which he typically performed. He got his big break when bandleader Harry James’ wife heard him sing as a waiter and recommended him to her husband.
Sinatra made his first commercial recording on this date — Melancholy Mood and From The Bottom Of My Heart with Harry James and his Orchestra for the Brunswick label. No more than 8,000 copies of the record were sold.
The Haus of Dcaligari 