Rat Pack

Growing up in Las Vegas at a time where classic hotels that began the strip were being imploded to make way for the new era was very impactful. With a big band in the back, I have always been inspired by the progressiveness of Frank and the boys, and their ability to break down the walls of segregation in Las Vegas casinos.

In Las Vegas during the 1950s and 60s, black performers appearing at major hotels were not allowed to stay in them. Segregated from white performers, they were restricted to ramshackle quarters, far from the strip, in a shabby part of town. When Sinatra learned of these practices by hotel owners, he erupted in disapproval and threatened to leave Vegas for good, once again using his power and influence to provoke change. Sinatra became an instrumental figure in the desegregation of Las Vegas. He also supported the Civil Rights movement and was a generous supporter of Martin Luther King, Jr., performing at a benefit show for King in 1961 at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Behind the Art

I started asking my friends and my parents all sorts of questions about casino culture; what it was like at these casinos, and what types of people were there? I was so fascinated with the culture and the performers of early Las Vegas. I remember the first time I heard Sinatra and saw a photo of the rat pack all dressed in black suits.