The day Sinatra’s Dundee fans were ‘too few to mention’

It was the day Frank Sinatra made sure his Dundee fans in the cheap seats weren’t “strangers in the night”.

Ol’ Blue Eyes invited the folk at the back to “come down where I can see you” when just under 600 of them turned out at the Caird Hall.

They took him at his word and invaded the empty 15-shilling seats at the front of the stage at the 3,300-seater venue.

Sinatra’s appearance in Dundee 65 years ago on July 13 is being fondly remembered as part of the build-up to next week’s Open at Carnoustie.

The singer was bitten by the golf bug and was lured across the Atlantic to watch Ben Hogan at the 1953 Open at Carnoustie and did a few gigs to earn some pocket money.

He performed two shows in Dundee that July 13 evening. The second house at 8.45pm attracted 1,189 fans.

Sinatra was undeterred by the poor turnout and was full of praise for the reception he received, describing the crowd as “wonderfully enthusiastic”.

“That happens in other cities,” he said. “What really matters is their response and it was wonderful. I have a very high opinion of Scottish audiences.”

Despite the onset of a cold and the big arena Sinatra said the acoustics were splendid.

He had the fans in raptures with a 13-song, 45-minute set with a pause in between for a cup of tea.

The set highlights included Birth of the Blues, Nancy With the Laughing Face and You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Iain Flett, from the Friends of Dundee City Archives, said: “His popular image had been severely dented two years beforehand by his leaving his first wife Nancy and their three young children to marry the actress Ava Gardner.”

Cutting a dash. How Ol’ Blue Eyes’ concerts in Dundee were revealed in the press.