While I'm on a music jag, let's slow it down a bit with another piece of history...

In 1938, Frank Sinatra was a skinny 22-year-old kid from Hoboken, NJ looking for his big break. At that time, he was working as a singing waiter and master of ceremonies at The Rustic Cabin in Englewood Cliffs, a popular roadhouse restaurant and lounge that broadcast its musical sets over WNEW radio in New York. Frank sang with a small, resident group under the direction of Bill Henri and his Headliners during his tenure at the Rustic Cabin.  

While much about Bill Henri and his Headliners has been obscured by time, their role in launching the career of Frank Sinatra cannot be overstated. The Rustic Cabin, and even Bill Henri stand as a romantic element of a bygone era — a mostly forgotten band leader and small corner of New Jersey where big things began. Ya just know, Bill talked about Frank, saying "I knew him when..."

Frank Sinatra: The Platinum Collection

Box Set, 3 CDs