Nancy Sinatra

Nancy Sinatra on Brian Wilson’s Music, Friendship & the California Sound.

Hi Nancy – it’s great to talk with you. We actually met twenty years ago this June at Brian’s 60th Birthday party at the Mulholland Grill in Bel Air. I remember one of the evening’s highlights was your shouting out “Welcome to the Sixties, Baby!” after everyone sang “Happy Birthday.”

I do remember that (laughs).

So, let’s start from the beginning: do you remember when you met Brian and what the circumstances were?

You know, I’m racking my brain to remember and I can’t because I feel like he’s been in my life forever, you know? 

Were you a fan of the Beach Boys before you met Brian?

Yeah, I was a big fan because the music was so refreshing. It came along at a really good time. 

L.A. in the sixties must have been a a lot of fun. Brian told me it was “a real trip” and that all the musicians knew each other and would hang out. Did you and Brian hang out at all?

Well we didn’t really socialize too much because I was very shy and he was very shy. But I mean there was nobody more generous than Brian. With Brian, if I need him, he’s there. If it’s in my house or on stage or wherever, he’s just a very giving kind. You probably hear this a lot, but he’s got, he’s got a huge heart you know, and he wears it on his sleeve. He loves with his whole heart. And he trusts people. I think that’s kind of dangerous because he’s so sensitive. And if it’s out in the open, it can be easily bruised and hurt. I don’t know, maybe he trusted me too. I think of all the times he just showed up and reached out. I never found him to be reluctant to socialize or to be friendly – contrary to what a lot of people have said. I didn’t find that at all. He could also be very outgoing and gregarious.

I find musical connections fascinating. I think of you as kind of a bridge between your dad and his music and the music that was coming out of L.A. in the mid-sixties. Many of the musicians who played on Pet Sounds, for instance, played on your hit “Somethin’ Stupid” with your dad. So I guess between you, Hazlewood and (producer) Jimmy Bowen, you had your dad recording with younger musicians, who would later come to be known as “The Wrecking Crew.”

Yeah, Jimmy knew everyone and he was definitely the catalyst getting these people together. These were very exciting days creating music in a studio. First of all, recording is the best technology really. It’s not like making a movie where you have to wait for the dailies and then see it all cut together. It’s more immediate. Of course it’s different now. I don’t think they record that way anymore, do they?

No, it’s not as organic as it used to be. A lot of it’s done on computers laying down tracks or even notes, one at a time. You don’t necessarily have musicians playing together. So a lot of people think something gets lost there.

Yeah – it loses the sound in the room.

That’s a cool way of putting it. Billy Strange is also a connection because he’s one of the great guitarists of all time and played on most of the Beach Boys hits. But he was also the arranger on “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” and other great tracks on the albums you made with Lee.

Billy was really an unsung hero and was self-taught. He was still learning at the time and I think he was a little shy about his talent, but he really did something. He captured what Lee called the “dumb sound” that people seemed to love.

I remember talking to Brian and asking him what he liked about your dad. He said he loved Frank’s attitude and swagger. I thought that was interesting because those aren’t qualities people necessarily associate Brian with.

Those are really good points. I love that – that’s great. I think my dad’s swagger was – I don’t want to say it was an accident, but it was, it’s just the way he was.

When we were talking about your dad’s music, the arranger Nelson Riddle came up, because Brian’s obviously such a great arranger himself. Brian said the albums Frank made with Nelson were among the best ever made. That’s a high compliment.

I think that’s Brian not knowing how brilliant he is.

Well Brian’s very humble when he talks about himself. He’s pretty much responsible for the Beach Boys and the “California Sound”…

Well, when you think about the Beach Boys without Brian’s voice, I don’t think they would exist. Without him on those records, it’s not the same. I mean, take his voice away, and you’ve got Jan and Dean (laughs).

In the mid-seventies, Brian cut some swing music with your dad in mind. It wasn’t appropriate for the Beach Boys so it was shelved. One song “Still I Dream Of It” was a beautiful ballad that Brian managed to get to your dad, but in Brian’s words “he didn’t say yes to the song,” which really disappointed him. Do you have any recollection of that?

Oh no, I’ve never heard it – I’m shocked to hear that. I would love to listen to it, though.

So that brings us to your 2007 album California Girl, which is a really beautiful album of handpicked songs about California. I know you worked with Brian on the track “California Girls.” Can you tell us about that?

Brian and Jeff Foskett came into the studio, and again, just so generous of them, so giving. Just never asked for anything. I’m trying to remember where we recorded it – I think it was at somebody’s home.

Oh, probably Your Place or Mine – that’s Brian’s engineer Mark Linett’s studio in Glendale. 

Yes, I think that’s right.

So you were there when they put the tracks down?

Yeah, I was there.

It must have been a fun experience making that record.

That experience, it’s so funny you would bring that up. That experience was one of the greatest in my life, and it was – I don’t know – it just came out of the blue. “Would you be on my ‘California Girls’ recording?” I mean that wasn’t written for a girl to sing. And he said sure (laughs) and he was so sweet about it, you know?

Yeah, it’s a great album.

It was actually recorded over a couple of decades. Billy Strange and I realized we have a whole album here of California-type songs and we should do something with it, but it didn’t go anywhere. It’s a shame because it was really, really good.

Time flies: last year you turned 80 and, if you remember, Brian made a video singing a little bit of “Happy Birthday” to you. It was one of his most popular posts. Now that Brian’s turning 80 this June, what do you have to say to him?

Well, just welcome to the club, here we go again. You know you just keep trying to catch me and you can’t do it (laughs). You know, we have to talk about Brian’s wife, because Melinda is such a force in his life and she’s really made it possible for him to contribute to his family and to the rest of the world. She’s just a blessing – she’s like a rock to him.

So true, and it’s so great that Brian’s active and looks forward to touring.

Oh definitely. I don’t know what he’d be doing without her, honestly.

So have you seen Brian perform when he’s out there at the Hollywood Bowl and other places?

Yes, in fact when he started touring I saw him with the Wondermints and they put on a fabulous show – it was wonderful. And I remember doing a show at B.B. Kings, and he got up on stage with me. I’m so proud to be able to call him a friend. He’s just so sweet, so darling. And, again, so supportive. I did a “Nancy for Frank” radio show. I used to have a little setup in my house, and there’s a picture of us with our headphones on (right) – another generous gift he gave me. I feel like in retrospect, I haven’t been as good or as generous a friend to him, you know? (Laughs).

Have you and Brian talked lately?

No, no, I haven’t. It’s my shyness.

So, you’ve had some cool collections come out recently. The Boots reissue is fantastic and then you have the Start Walkin’ 1965-1976 double-vinyl which is a must have.

Yeah, that’s with the Light in the Attic (record label), and they’re wonderful. The folks at LITA are also reissuing Nancy & Lee this spring.

All great. Nancy, thank you so much – it’s been great talking with you.

Thank you, Michael, I appreciate your time.

Below: Click or tap to play Nancy’s 2007 version of “California Girls” featuring Brian and Jeffrey Foskett on harmonies.

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