All For A Song

Libretto, words and music - Sandy Smolen

May, 1963, aspiring songwriter Bill Ralich, sends songs to Frank Sinatra, one of which catches Mr. Sinatra’s attention, which brings Bill to the Sands Hotel when the Sands was “thee” place to be, especially when Sam, Dean, and Frank were there and Bill is there face to face with Dean, Sam, and Frank, as they sing and talk about the breaks and heartbreaks they faced … where every moment with them Bill learns everything he needs to know to succeed, and then some.  From Dean he learns about the laughs, the timing, and how it all came together.  From Sam, there is the struggle he had to endure with segregation, and talent wise how he had to better his best.  And then there’s Frank Sinatra.  Most know him as a singer / actor, but Bill sees him as a contradiction.  Frank jr. described his father as, “A man who never did the same thing once!”  In All For A Song the three entertainers function the way the Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin-Man helped Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.  Similarly, because of them Bill learns to put the pieces together … and that is what All For A Song is about.

Sandy was born in Chicago, to father, Dr. Adolph Smolen and mother, opera singer Mildred Gerber.  Musically, as soon as his voice changed he began singing lessons with esteemed vocal coach Harold Eisberg.  Career-wise his first job was at the Crown Room in Indianapolis.  He has worked practically every Playboy Club and appeared with an open ended contract at the Thunderbird Motel in Miami.  Sandy toured the country with the Sy Zentner orchestra.  And one of the biggest thrills of his life happened while appearing at the North Shore Club in Lake Tahoe, and that was being invited to the Cal-Neva Resort to sing for Mr. Sinatra, personally.  Mr. Sinatra appreciated musicianship above all and sent him to Reprise saying, “Tell them I sent you!”   Sandy received an A.A. degree from Loop Jr. College and his B.S. degree from Tennessee State University.