Tremonti Sings Sinatra: The Song Is Stella

Allow us to set the scene. The winter days are slipping away but a watery sunrise makes the odd appearance. Pyjama-clad, we drink in the sight outside while sipping on our caffeinated beverage of choice. The soft crackle of our speakers transforms into the whimsical bounce of big band. Our ears prick. The crooning isn’t that of FRANK SINATRA. The voice feeding us blues-inspired chills is that of a dear friend of Distorted Sound: MARK TREMONTI.

Buzzing with excitement, it doesn’t take long for Tremonti to dive into talking about his latest musical project. TREMONTI SINGS SINATRA sees the stalwart “rock n’ roll kid” shedding the skin of ALTER BRIDGE and his solo band to indulge a personal obsession with ol Blue Eyes. In the past, we’ve seen the likes of SEETHER pull Sinatra into their chosen genre. There’s even a metal tribute album, Sin-atra (2011) which features DEVIN TOWNSEND and DEE SNIDER. Though how often do we see our metal kin step through the looking glass?

Recorded with surviving members of Sinatra’s touring band, Tremonti Sings Sinatra is 14 tracks of unadulterated easy listening. Would it have been interesting to hear an ALTER BRIDGE version of New York, New York? Of course. Yet the moment I’ve Got You Under My Skin’s vocals begin, that desire is more than sated. Hours of YouTube binges combined with vocal emulation and examination culminated in a blue ring binder full of notes. A particular performance of The Song Is You in 1944 prompted Tremonti to delve deeper into the world of Sinatra. “He kind of seemed like this shy kid on stage,” Mark muses. “Then when he sang, it was just shocking how great he was and how pure of a voice he had. And I was like ‘you know what, I’m gonna do my best to emulate what he does just for fun’.”

Resigned to the fact recording a faithful Sinatra project “really doesn’t make sense” for his career, Tremonti’s extensive research remained a private indulgence. Until now. While this record could be branded as a passion project, the core reason for this album’s existence is far more personal.

In March of last year, Tremonti and his wife Victoria welcomed their daughter Stella who had been diagnosed with Down Syndrome in utero. Down Syndrome is a condition in which a person is born with an extra chromosome. Where a baby would typically have two copies of chromosome 21, a baby with Down Syndrome will have three. While many living with Down Syndrome will have no other major birth defects, some may present with obstructive sleep apnea, and heart defects which are present from birth. The diagnosis is daunting for any new parent as Tremonti has no trouble telling us. “It was scary,” Mark starts. “I had never really had too much contact before [Stella]. Brian Marshall‘s [bassist for CREED and ALTER BRIDGE] brother has Down Syndrome, my wife’s cousin has Down Syndrome, and my manager’s brother has Down Syndrome but it kind of hit home with all the people around me but I just never had a tonne of one-on-one time.”

Tremonti goes on to admit he turned introspective when he and his wife had received the diagnosis. Crediting Victoria as his rock, he would start researching the situation he found himself in. The family attended various support groups and events provided by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). Talking about how those events had alleviated the feeling of isolation for his family, Mark tells us, “a few of them are with families with children under two years old or, or with people that are expecting a child and you know, just talking them through it.” Those functions have become a staple for the Tremonti family. Some of which are shared with the wider world through an Instagram account made for Stella. Just a few hours after our call, Tremonti’s due to go to a fundraiser with WWE Superstars and a performance from FLO-RIDA in a bid to raise a million dollars for the charity.

Many would and do applaud Tremonti for gifting TREMONTI SINGS SINATRA to the NDSS. But he didn’t want to stop there. In conjunction with the project, Tremonti has launched Take A Chance For Charity. The organisation hopes to push other artists, athletes, and entertainers to step outside of their comfort zones for the greater good. So far, the reaction has been positive. “I’ve got calls with people all week long about following up this project,” Mark tells us before mentioning he won’t be mentioning names any time soon. When we asked whether there would be a TREMONTI SINGS SINATRA Volume Two, Mark simply laughs and says there’s a non-disclosure agreement in place for another song.

Fully wrapped up in discussing the organisation side of the project, we both find ourselves almost neglecting the upcoming record. Though it’s this exuberance which fuels the album. The “homework” Mark had compiled in his faithful ring binder not only allowed him to provide stunning renditions of classic songs but also earn the respect of Sinatra’s touring band in the process. “It was the most amazing studio experience I’ve ever had,” Mark exclaims. At the fruition of a boyhood dream, no one would be surprised by the presence of nerves. What takes us by surprise is Mark’s admission of confidence. “I wasn’t nervous about performing because I had practised this to death, for hundreds of hours,” he explains with a hint of a coy smile. “So when I walked in there, I knew every nuance of every word I was going to sing.”

It becomes clear to us just how much thought had been put into the album. Tremonti compiled the track list himself. As well as including iconic tracks like Fly Me To The Moon and That’s Life, Mark wanted to include deeper cuts such as In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning. “I wanted people to dive into his catalogue and show people I’m not just coming in here and playing all the hits. I want to show you some of my favourites,” he starts, providing an example before we could even ask. “Waves. I mean that how cool of a song is that? That’s the epitome of cool. When I hear Sinatra singing that song, I picture him sitting on the beach with Sean Connery drinking martinis.” Within the 14 tracks of devotion, once stands above the rest for Mark. The Song Is You is the song he sings to Stella every day without fail. The joy radiates through his voice as he tells us he’d already sung it to her 15 times today; “If she’s sitting there and just doesn’t have a smile on her face, I’ll sing it to her and she’ll say ‘oh, that’s our song!’”

“I want to be a little old man on my deathbed that raised $100 million for charity,” Mark states in Sinatra fashion. It’s small nuances like this and the fact Mark painted the artwork which makes this project so special and serendipitous. Our metal-born brother couldn’t have picked a more worthy cause to Take A Chance For Charity with.

Tremonti Sings Sinatra is out now via Take A Chance For Charity.

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