Frank Sinatra to a Young George Michael: ‘Talent Must Not Be Wasted’

Frank Sinatra was never one to hold back his thoughts, as well evidenced in the collections of his colorful letters and communications that can be found online.

One letter of his in particular is proving to be striking this holiday season, however: the one he indirectly addressed to the (now late) George Michael back in 1990.

Michael, who was at the peak of his career at the time, had recently sat down for an interview with the Los Angeles Times in which he reflected upon the tolls fame had taken upon him to date. Sinatra fired off a stinging letter in response, criticizing the piece and taking Michael severely to task for his words.

“My first reaction was he should thank the good Lord every morning when he wakes up to have all that he has,” Sinatra noted. “Now that he’s a smash performer and songwriter at 27 he wants to quit doing what tons of gifted youngsters all over the world would shoot grandma for — just one crack at what he’s complaining about.

“Talent must not be wasted … those who have talent must hug it, embrace it, nurture it and share it lest it be taken away from you as fast as it was loaned to you.”

The letter, which undoubtedly held a different tone 26 years ago in reference to a young star feeling overwhelmed by fame, now simply emphasizes Michael’s life of extraordinary accomplishments — many of which he managed to achieve in the final two decades of his life, well after he expressed career weariness in 1990.

Michael was found dead on Christmas morning at the age of 53, in his home in England. His manager stated that the cause of death was heart failure.