BIOGRAPHY: JIM “FITZ” FITZGERALD

HOST, FRANK FM

PALM SPRINGS, CA – When Jim Fitzgerald was 15 years old, he was listening to the heavy organ sounds of The Doors and was absorbing the influence of the British Invasion. Then, on the radio one afternoon came a sound that was so unique it has transfixed him to this day.

That sound was Frank Sinatra singing “That’s Life.”

“It wasn’t particularly cool to be a young person and enamored with Frank Sinatra in the late 1960’s, says Fitzgerald. “But that man had a way of telling a song with music that was absolutely compelling. The orchestration coupled with that voice captivated me.”

That respect continues today as Fitzgerald, better known as “Fitz” on the air, hosts his popular Frank FM radio show every week. What makes the show unique is not only Sinatra’s music played, but the show originates from Palm Springs, California, the place Frank Sinatra called home for over 50 years and is his final resting place.

Besides playing a wide range of music from various eras of Sinatra’s career, the show also features interviews with fans of the star, celebrities with a Sinatra connection and stories about his life here in the Palm Springs area.

The show has attracted numerous endorsements, including Sinatra’s daughter Nancy who urged Fitz to “keep the musical flame alive” for her father. Young people are some of the show’s most ardent fans.

“To be in this community that a musical legend like Frank Sinatra loved so very much and to be able to play his music to his friends, former neighbors and a whole new generation of listeners is a profound privilege. His presence here in the desert is still very powerful and I feel I am the keeper of something very precious and special.”

Fitz also hosts a daily smooth jazz program and presents several jazz concerts each year at the Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, which ironically, is located on Frank Sinatra Drive.

Before coming to the Palm Springs area, Fitz was the top-rated midday air personality for Sony’s Radio Network in New York, where he hosted the nationally syndicated “Smooth FM” format. He garnered a loyal national following with his wry sense of humor and inexhaustible knowledge of the artists and their music.

Fitz has a long history as a major player in national radio working for the NBC, ABC and Unistar radio networks. His background not only includes radio, where he also hosted and produced a show for the Westwood One Radio Network, but he has been involved with network and cable television as a writer, producer, director and on-air talent.

He has been the executive producer and producer of the two highest rated specials ever produced for the Lifetime cable channel entitled “Weddings of a Lifetime” by Walt Disney Television.

Though he still works with numerous jazz artists, his heart is still with Frank Sinatra. “When you are in Palm Springs, you can’t visit many places without picking up some connection with the man. To be able to honor him and educate new listeners about the amazing legacy he left behind for this world in his own backyard is something most people in my industry can only dream about.”

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Contact:

Melanie Childs

Magellan Public Relations

Tel: 0181 877 0317

Email: [email protected]