Happy 85th Birthday, Nancy Sinatra! See the Singer's Life and Career in Photos

Nancy Sinatra’s Childhood

Nancy Sinatra was calved successful Jersey City, New Jersey, connected June 8, 1940, to legendary vocalist Frank Sinatra and his first woman Nancy Barbato. She was nan eldest of 3 children, increasing up pinch relative Frank Jr. and sister Christina.

In nan precocious ‘50s, Nancy attended nan University of California, Los Angeles to study dance, euphony and voice, but she dropped retired aft 1 year.

Nancy’s Bond pinch Father Frank Sinatra

She had a adjacent narration pinch her begetter personally and professionally. In 1957, she made her on-screen debut successful her dad’s tv bid The Frank Sinatra Show and besides appeared successful his 1960 typical The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis. 

“It was electrical to beryllium pinch him,” she described her father. “There’s only 1 Frank.”

The emotion was mutual. In a 2021 sit-down pinch PEOPLE, Nancy remembered her begetter introducing himself arsenic “Nancy’s father” onstage retired of pridefulness for his daughter’s success.

Nancy Sinatra’s Marriage to Tommy Sands

Nancy joined popular vocalist Tommy Sands successful a 1960 ceremonial held successful Las Vegas. Throughout their relationship, she group speech her philharmonic aspirations, admitting to nan Irish Times that she “made nan stumbling block.”

“I was surviving successful a fairy tale,” she told PEOPLE of their matrimony successful 2021. “He was not happy being married, and 1 time he conscionable left.”

Nancy Sinatra’s On-Screen Career

She made her movie debut successful nan 1964 movie For Those Who Think Young and acted successful 2 much of American International Pictures’ “beach party” flicks, Get Yourself a College Girl (also 1964) and The Ghost successful nan Invisible Bikini (1966).

‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin’’

At nan extremity of 1965, Nancy recorded nan Lee Hazlewood-written opus “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” which became a career-defining hit. It reached No. 1 connected nan Billboard Hot 100 and earned her 2 Grammy nominations astatine nan 9th yearly ceremony.

The opus — which was later covered by Billy Ray Cyrus and Jessica Simpson — was initially meant for Hazlewood to sing, but Nancy convinced him to fto a female grounds it.

“I conscionable told him nan truth: that I didn’t deliberation it was bully for a man to singing it, that it sounded benignant of ugly, and that a woman should singing it and it would beryllium better. And he realized I was right,” Nancy told Rolling Stone successful 2021.

Nancy Sinatra and Elvis Presley successful ‘Speedway’

In 1968, Nancy starred other Elvis Presley successful nan 1968 philharmonic Speedway, playing nan stone star’s emotion interest, IRS supplier Susan Jacks. The movie was her past acting endeavor, speech from cameos arsenic herself connected China Beach and The Sopranos.

Reflecting connected moving pinch nan precocious Presley to PEOPLE successful 2021, she said, “I cognize he was nan funniest man and astir apt nan astir superior man I knew, some group successful one.”

Nancy Sinatra’s Commercial Success

She went connected to onshore aggregate floor plan hits successful nan years pursuing her divorcement from Sands, including a Bond taxable opus and a duet pinch her father, “Somethin’ Stupid.” Frank and Nancy became nan first and only father-daughter duo to deed No. 1 connected nan Billboard Hot 100, and it besides earned them a information for Record of nan Year astatine nan 10th yearly Grammys. 

“He knew I was nervous, but he made it fun,” Nancy told PEOPLE of signaling pinch her dad. “He was silly and funny and made nan nerves spell away.”

Nancy Sinatra’s Marriage to Hugh Lambert

After marrying choreographer and dancer Hugh Lambert successful 1970, nan mates welcomed 2 daughters together: AJ, calved successful 1974, and Amanda, calved successful 1976. The brace remained together until Hugh's decease from crab successful 1985.

On March 31, 2025, she posted a day tribute to her precocious hubby 40 years aft his death. “Hughie was a awesome man, truthful funny and very handsome, pinch lukewarm hazel eyes and awesome hair,” she wrote connected Facebook. “I adored him. He was nan emotion of my life and I’ll miss him for nan remainder of my days.

‘Frank Sinatra, My Father’ and ‘Frank Sinatra, An American Legend’

She published 2 books astir her celebrated dad, nan authorized curriculum vitae Frank Sinatra, My Father successful 1985 and Frank Sinatra: An American Legend successful 1995. After her father’s decease successful 1998 astatine property 82, Nancy told nan Vancouver Sun that it was difficult to grieve personification who had specified a ubiquitous beingness and impact.

“The man was astir apt 1 of nan astir photographed group who ever lived," she said. "You perceive his euphony everywhere, without warning. It’s for illustration perpetually being bombarded, for illustration personification putting their fingers successful nan wound. No, it’s not easy.”

Nancy Sinatra Receives Her Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

She received her Hollywood Walk of Fame prima successful a 2006 ceremonial pinch her mother, besides named Nancy, and siblings successful attendance. Nancy Sr. died successful 2018 astatine property 101, and nan “Boots” vocalist called her mom “the astir influential person” successful her life.

“I still trust connected her wisdom, kindness, sweetness and her toughness. She was a beardown lady,” she said successful 2021.

Nancy Sinatra arsenic a Mom

Nancy raised her 2 daughters pinch Hugh unsocial aft his 1985 death. Every year, nan vocalist posts day wishes to her children connected Instagram. 

For AJ’s 50th day successful May 2024, Nancy recalled “complications” for illustration a “miscarriage connected stage” earlier she and Hugh welcomed their eldest daughter. “I was yet a mom and my dada yet had a blue-eyed kid successful his life,” she wrote nether a baby photo. “Happy HAPPY birthday, AJ! I emotion you truthful overmuch and I’m very proud of you and your begetter would beryllium too.”

“I’m truthful lucky,” she told PEOPLE of motherhood successful 2021.

Nancy Sinatra’s Life Now

The vocalist remains progressive connected societal media, promoting her girl AJ’s projects, reflecting connected nan past and celebrating her friends and family members. 

She credits her enduring bequest to her fans’ continued support complete nan years: “Without them, location would beryllium nary Nancy correct now. She’d conscionable beryllium an aged woman getting older,” she said.