Frank Sinatra Jr dies ahead of concert

The American singer, Frank Sinatra Junior, who carried on his father's legacy with his own career in music, has died at the age of 72.

He suffered a heart attack in Daytona Beach in Florida where he was due to play a concert on Wednesday evening.

He followed his father in the music business as a teenager, and later became his father's musical director and conductor. He was famously kidnapped and held for ransom when he was 19.

A gang seized him at gunpoint at a casino in Lake Tahoe. His father paid a $240,000 (£168,000) ransom, which was later recovered after the kidnappers were arrested. 

When he died on Wednesday, Frank Junior was due to perform at the Peabody Auditorium as part of his Sinatra Sings Sinatra tour, which included some of his father's greatest hits interwoven with family reminiscences.

The venue announced on its Facebook page: "Frank Sinatra Jr has passed away. Our love to his family and friends."

His sister Nancy, who also followed their father into the music business, said on her Facebook page: "Sleep warm, Frankie."

Tony Bennett wrote on Twitter: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Frank Sinatra Jr and send my sympathy to Tina and Nancy and the Sinatra family."

BBC News