Don Shelden and the Sinatra Jukebox honor the memory of the late Frank Sinatra without succumbing to mere imitation. Shelden’s euphonious and captivating vocals make one feel the presence of Sinatra himself enter the room. The Jukebox unites a scintillating blend of talent, joining Shelden’s vocals with those of the sweet-sounding and seasoned Annette Sanders. Russ Kassoff serves as music director and pianist, and Ray Marchica as drummer. Until 2020, the Jukebox was also graced with the presence of the lade bassist Jerry Bruno, who recorded and toured with Sinatra himself for more than a decade.

 

Shelden was the protégé of three-time Grammy Award winning composer Marion Evans. His first two albums, “Imagination,” and “Any Swing Goes,” arranged and conducted by Evans, evoked the big band sound of the 1940’s. Shelden is also the author of “That’s What God Looks Like To Me,” which includes Shelden’s lyrical response to the title question—a tribute to Sinatra’s classic song by the same name. For this third CD, Shelden worked with seven-time Emmy Award winner Mike Renzi as his arranger and piano player. He has also worked with Grammy-nominated pianist, arranger, and conductor Nick Perito, Grammy-nominated pianist Derek Smith, and world-renowned guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. Shelden graces listeners with a polished vocal style, matched with phrasing and tonality that is often compared to that of the young Frank Sinatra.

 

Don Shelden grew up in Elmira, New York. The oldest of his thirteen siblings, he developed an appreciation for familial devotion and the value of building close relationships with loved-ones. These themes are unmistakably present in Shelden’s prior albums and his decade-long career with Marion Evans. Shelden is president of Shelden Entertainment Group LLC. He lives in New Canaan, Connecticut with his wife and children. Shelden Continues to perform regularly at jazz and dance clubs in the Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey areas.