This was the happiest period of my life so far [on tour in the 1950’s]… [I] secretly held the hope that I'd [someday] get to sing with violins and cellos ever since I'd heard Frank Sinatra do "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)." I was crazy about the song; the strings sounded so lush and beautiful. And I knew it'd be a thrill to hear all those romantic instruments behind me. There weren't that many black singers back then who recorded with strings. I remember Nat Cole doing "Nature Boy," but us rhythm-and-blues musicians had had a label slapped on us--strings were out.