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It is a shame

Until reading this blog, I had no idea such a gimmick existed: getting a notable to sign a blank sheet of paper, then manipulating it with photo of the signer. Good grief, why do people want to undermine the integrity of signed-photos?

Before he died, Frank Sinatra did a CD of duets with more contemporary singers performing some of his standards. I later found out all he did was lay down his track of the song, then the contemporary singer recorded his/her track, and the two tracks electronically blended. Thus Sinatra and the other singer weren't even in the same studio on the same day recording the song together, although that was the impression publicized.

Such manipulation for commercial reasons is unacceptable.

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Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on February 22, 2010 at 3:23pm: I see your point about Sinatra, but it's more common then you might think. Those kinds of recordings lack the ad lib and fun energy of when they do it on stage--which is the only time they sound great to me. Although I did like it when Natalie Cole did duets with Nat.

Comment by B Garrett Meadows on February 22, 2010 at 6:53pm: Oh, I agree whole-heartedly about Natalie's duets with her late dad, but they weren't marketed as being anything else but Natalie--via modern-technology--doing duets with her dad. The Sinatra CD was a blatant attempt at misleading his fans and the fans of the other singers that Ol' Blue Eyes stood right next to Bono when warbling "The Summer Wind." Speaking of Frank Sinatra, do you know of any studies done of his signature?

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on February 22, 2010 at 11:13pm: Do you go by Garrett?

You're right, of course. I'm just slightly immune to hype marketing. The UACC did a Sinatra signature study a while back, by Bill White and Al Wittnebert. Their Web site isn't easy to navigate (it's being rebuilt), but their expertise is solid. www.uacc.info/page61.html

If you're not a UACC member, it's a group we recommending joining and supporting. They're good people.

Comment by Stephen Duncan on February 23, 2010 at 6:15am: The recording tracks can produce some really good music such as "Free as a Bird" by The Beatles, based on a John Lennon demo. At least you know what your getting and the terms it was recorded. But the signature on the blank piece of paper, in my opinion smells a bit stinky.

Such as this new wave of getting pick guards signed, then attaching them to a guitar and saying it is "a signed guitar". Again, in my opinion, this really smells stinky!! I almost have to laugh when I hear what tricks and stretches some autographers will go to and sell, and those that collect will accept. Aye yii, yiiii!

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