ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 14, 1997 TAG: 9701140045
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: DAVID BAUDER ASSOCIATED PRESS
VIRTUALLY EVERY SONG Sinatra committed to tape is available on compact disc, including packages for the fanatic and casual explorer.
Granted, the question is impolite. Maybe even crass. But rest assured, it's being asked.
Are the companies responsible for packaging and marketing the hundreds of songs recorded by Frank Sinatra prepared for the inevitable surge in demand for his music when he dies?
``We're always prepared,'' said Bill Bentley, spokesman for Reprise Records, the company Sinatra founded in 1952.
Of course, Reprise is not wishing ill upon the 81-year-old singer, who suffered a heart attack last week and has been hospitalized several times over the past year. But any business that sells something wants to be able to respond to demand.
Those living in fear of cheesy commemorative products of the type that clouded the memories of Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix have some reason for optimism, however.
That's because the three companies that own the rights to Sinatra's music - Sony, Reprise and Capitol - have assiduously updated the artist's catalog for the compact disc era.
Virtually every song Sinatra committed to tape is available on compact disc, said Jonathan Schwartz, a disc jockey for WQEW in New York City and an expert on the singer.
Packages are available for the fanatic and casual explorer. Reprise, for example, released in 1995 a 20-CD set of everything Sinatra recorded for the label and a single CD, ``Everything Happens to Me'' of favorite songs the singer selected himself.
``We've sort of wanted to do this in his lifetime,'' Bentley said. ``If you look back at least five or six years, we've really tried to treat his catalog with respect and do it while he's here.''
The reason so much is available is simple. Even in retirement, Sinatra is a mainstay of the music business. He sold 1million albums during 1996.
Pete Howard, publisher of the compact disc newsletter Ice, said he doubted there would be a rush to produce new commemorative discs when Sinatra dies.
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP Frank Sinatra has improved constantly sinceby CNBsuffering a heart attack and will go home from the hospital this
week, a hospital spokesman said Monday. color