Frank Sinatra is arguably the most renowned male vocalist of all time. That being so, the question isn’t who likes Sinatra, it’s who doesn’t. Well, there is one musician who adores the man and his music, and that is the red-headed stranger, Willie Nelson.
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Nelson’s Sinatra fandom and relationship notably dates back to Sinatra’s Las Vegas days. Specifically, Sinatra actually opened for Willie Nelson a handful of times at the Golden Nugget Casino in 1984. However, despite their several live collaborations, Nelson has one looming regret about his time with Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas. It might seem trivial in the greater scheme of Nelson’s career, but to him, it’s something he will simply never get over.
Willie Nelson & Frank Sinatra’s Night in Las Vegas
In an interview on Today, Nelson fully divulged the deep admiration he has for Frank Sinatra and his timeless hits. “Practically everything he’s recorded, I’ve loved it. I’m a huge Sinatra fan, ” stated Nelson. Given Willie Nelson’s love for Sinatra, the man has covered several of his songs including “Stardust,” “My Way,” and “That’s Life.”
Regarding his attempt to replicate Sinatra, Nelson told Today, “I don’t think anybody expected me to sound like Frank, even though I wish I could. I don’t have that good of a voice.” Thanks to Nelson’s love of Frank Sinatra, the moment he regrets isn’t some grand instance that tortures him to the core. Rather, it was simply a missed opportunity to hang out with one of the best to ever do it.
“One night we played a show in Vegas, and he invited me by his place to hang out, and I couldn’t,” stated Nelson. He added, “I had to get on a bus and go to LA, and I always regretted that I didn’t get to hang out with Frank.” The details of the story are unclear, and it’s also unclear why Nelson had to run to Los Angeles so quickly. Though, regardless, it is understandable why Nelson was so torn up about this missed opportunity.
If Willie Nelson had taken up Sinatra on his offer, this article would be telling a completely different story. Although, that is clearly not the case. Rather, Nelson and everybody else can only romantically dream about what their conversation would have entailed. So, Nelson wasn’t the only one who missed out, as all of his fans would have loved to hear him relay the story in full detail.
Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images







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