Crooners

Before the invention of the microphone, singers had to project their booming voices across large spaces. Post-amplification, the more subtle crooner came into his own, adding a hint of cologne, a seductively raised eyebrow, and exquisite taste in suits. Take your first sip from the lightly stirred glass of croon with these masters, kicking off with — who else? — the Chairman of the Board. Check out some crooners who may have slipped under your radar, in Next Steps.

We all know Sinatra and Crosby, so here we've included a few crooners you may have overlooked, like Vic Damone ("On the Street Where You Live"), who was discovered by Perry Como in the movie theatre where he worked, and the manly, Argentina-born Dick Haymes ("All or Nothing At All"), who was married six times. Rita Hayworth was among his wives. U2 lynchpins Bono and the Edge forge a link to old-school crooner tradition, in Deep Cuts.

The golden age of crooning passed when the Rat Pack disbanded, but the torch has been carried into the 21st century by the likes of Matt Dusk. His 2004 debut album, Two Shots, brings old-school Vegas back to life; the title track was written by Bono and the Edge from U2 specifically for Sinatra, but was never recorded . . . until Dusk arrived.

It's not just the voice that makes a great crooner: it's the look in the eyes of a man who makes an intimate connection with his audience, and carries himself with the degree of elegance only a bespoke tailor can supply. Our classics of croon will help you return to an era when the days didn't start till night, and the nights were measured out in martinis. We've also stirred in a pinch of modern crooning, from a mixed bag of golden-throated contemporary men including Richard Hawley, Rufus Wainwright, and Jaime Cullum. Cheers — enjoy!