Why Was Frank Sinatra Called “Chairman of the Board?”

Frank Sinatra has many nicknames. Ol’ Blue Eyes. The Sultan of Swoon. The Voice. All these nicknames are pretty self-explanatory. Another one of his nicknames, which is not so cut and dry, is Chairman of the Board. It’s an odd nickname for a musician. In fact, it’s a whole other job title that at first glance is not conducive to the entertainment industry.

How did Sinatra come to be known as the Chairman of the Board? Find out below.

[RELATED: 4 Songs You Didn’t Know Frank Sinatra Wrote]

Chairman of the Board?

Sinatra is most known for his work in front of the microphone, in the recording studio, or center stage. The point is, when you think of Sinatra, you often don’t think of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy.

Nevertheless, in 1960, he decided to grip the reins of his creative endeavors a little tighter by starting his own record label, Reprise Records. Sinatra created the label in the pursuit of securing more creative freedom, which he then extended to other acts like the Kinks, Rosemary Clooney, Sammy Davis, Jr., and more.

It was because of his leadership position at Reprise Records that Sinatra earned the nickname Chairman of the Board. For some reason, the nickname has become second only to Sinatra’s real name, despite its confusing origins for those not in the know.

Radio personality William B. Williams is credited with having dubbed Sinatra with the nickname. Sinatra’s wife, Barbara, once explained that he hated the nickname. Moreover, Reprise Records, wasn’t a lucrative endeavor for Sinatra, making his days as the real Chairman of the Board short-lived.

Sinatra’s Other Nicknames

Though we haven’t done an official tally, Sinatra might have the most nicknames of any musician, ever. A quick Google search with give you 40-plus options for monikers, with “Chairman of the Board” being his most famous.

Elsewhere is his most obvious nickname, Ol’ Blue Eyes. He earned the nickname because of his sparkling, swoon-worthy blue eyes, of course. This reminds us, Sinatra has also been called the Sultan of Swoon. His hordes of enticed fans are to thank for that title.

You can’t talk about Sinatra without mentioning his golden set of pipes. Another one of his most popular nicknames is The Voice. You’d have to be a pretty stellar vocalist to be dubbed the voice, luckily Sinatra more than lives up to that reputation.

Other, less well-known, nicknames include One-Take Charlie, Mr. Baldy, and The Big Guy.

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)