What happens when you take a normal Joe from New Jersey, give him a suit, a crooner's voice and a love for his Italian heritage? You get the Chairman of the Board: Frank Sinatra. With a voice that moved millions, Sinatra became an icon of an age where the gangsters ran the show and excesses were becoming the norm. Many people have asked how a regular guy like Sinatra from Hoboken ended up becoming best known for his hits like "New York, New York."

Francis Albert Sinatra was born on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey. He loved all things New York City had to offer, however, the fast life and well dressed crowds appealed to him. Soon his emerging musical talent could be heard in all corners of the ever growing mega city.

Frank Sinatra's first trip to New York included his singing in the Rustic Cabin roadside café. He sang "From the Bottom of My Heart" and was heard by band leader Harry James. Later, Sinatra went on to sing in the band 3Flashes, also called the Hoboken Four, airing on Major Bowes Amateur Hour talent competition and on WNEW in New York City.

In June 1939, Sinatra sang on a one-year contract with Tommy Dorsey and was a huge success at Manhattan's Astor Hotel and Nightclub. Sinatra made his way permanently to New York City in 1942. He realized that jazz was the musical sensation the rest of the country craved. He saw an opportunity to blend his swing with jazz and launch a whole new musical art form in the public's ear, especially making a big impression on the teen crowds. While making his debut on New York's airways, Sinatra enjoyed himself at various hangout spots in places like Hell's Kitchen.

An old classic diner called Market Diner in Hell's Kitchen once occupied customers like Sinatra and his staff. Sometimes early in the morning, Sinatra and other famous musicians could be seen in the dining area ordering breakfast and coffee while talking business. It was the only place where you could order the "pretty waitress" and get a sandwich with cheese, tomato, and a side of French fries.

The Market Diner was also a favored hangout spot of several "questionable" characters such as the Westies, an Irish-American gang. They frequented the diner when they were trying to come up with new plans. In Sinatra's swingin' and singin' days the diner was a local favorite for Italian cuisine. Mobsters were also known to frequent the Market Diner. This could have been one of the contributing factors to the rumor of Sinatra's Mob connections.

Frank Sinatra enjoyed eating, singing, and drinking with friends. Market Diner made the perfect spot to do so. Since the days of the Rat Pack, the diner has closed for a period of time. At one point it was being considered for demolition to make way for a new high rise. It has since seen a massive renovation and has been reopened. Similarly, Sinatra himself saw a sort of falling out and resurgence of his career.

"New York, New York" has been associated with Frank Sinatra and the city so closely that in past years it has played at every Yankees game, no matter the outcome. Sinatra has even been given his own state holiday called "Frank Sinatra Day." Sinatra loved all things New York, and no matter where he was, he never minded singing about it and letting the world know that he always wanted to be a part of it: New York.