“IT was a surprise to people then, and it is now, that The Man From Snowy River can sing. And guess what? He can sing like Frank Sinatra!”
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Actor and singer Tom Burlinson still chuckles when he reflects on the reaction that his singing career has on people.
Originally known as an actor who, in his most celebrated role starred as Jim Craig, “The Man”, in the iconic Australia movie The Man From Snowy River, Burlinson is also one of the world’s leading singers in the style of Frank Sinatra.
In fact, he is so good that Burlinson provided Sinatra's singing voice in the 2003 Australian movie The Night We Called It a Day.
And when Sinatra’s daughter, Tina, produced the Sinatra mini-series about her famous father, she used Burlinson to voice the young Frank in song.
He’s been at this swing thing now for almost 30 years, but he still revels in surprising and delighting fans of the musical genre.
The Lakes Mail has twice seen Burlinson in concert, paying homage to Sinatra, and apart from the vocal similarities, Burlinson brings all of the swagger and depth of emotion that the great man was loved for.
“When you’re doing Sinatra material, that is what is required,” Burlinson said.
Burlinson is on the road again, in a new show, Now We’re Swingin’, and this time he’s also saluting some of the other masters of swing.
“This is a follow-on from my shows about Sinatra,” Burlinson said.
“Now We’re Swingin’ not only celebrates Sinatra, who I believe was the greatest, but others who made great contributions to that style of music – Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, Bobby Darin and, in the modern era, Harry Connick Jr and Michael Buble.”
It means Burlinson gets to perform songs such as It Had To Be You, Sway, and Ain’t That a Kick in the Head in the new shows.
Backing Burlinson is an eight-piece band featuring a powerful horn section and players Burlinson describes as simply “the best you can get in the country”.
Now We’re Swingin’ will be performed at Belmont 16s this Saturday night (February 3), and at The Art House, Wyong, on Saturday, March 3.
