America has always celebrated its star entertainers, but Frank Sinatra remains a unique American legend. A pop culture fixture for over half a century, Sinatra's music is still cherished, and his persona remains its own archetype of the quintessential American star. Sinatra transcended genres to the extent that his music stands alone as its own kind of American music, with songs like "New York, New York," "Chicago," and "Come Fly with Me" instantly recognizable among all Americans.

Of course there was also the life that went with the music. The cultural identity of the Rat Pack, epitomized in the 1960 film Ocean's Eleven, further contributed to his fame, and everyone knows and appreciates the image of easy living, smooth voice, and exuberant star power that Sinatra represents. If anything Sinatra's ability to make so many people feel happy and good about themselves was one of the main ingredients of his success. And as evidence of the fact that Americans don't mind their stars doing a little dirt, Sinatra's rap sheet and relationship with the mob are practically a celebrated part of his life.

Given his almost universal appeal, it is easy to forget that Sinatra did not always enjoy strong popularity during his career. He had a meteoric rise to fame, but he also suffered a terrible midcareer slump in popularity and was forced to work hard to reinvent his public image. In a sense the many changes to his public identity only make him even more American; the American public loves an underdog figure, and during his rise back to fame Sinatra came to embody the struggling American hero. The many transformations that Sinatra made throughout his career were necessary to cement his legacy as an unshakable American icon.

American Legends: The Life of Frank Sinatra looks at the life, career, and legacy of Ol' Blue Eyes.