The Water Brand Frank Sinatra Requested By Name Backstage

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With so many bottled waters on the market, you hardly need to settle for tap. But you likely have a favorite, as different bottled waters taste different for a number of reasons. Some are enhanced with minerals for flavor, while others vary in taste based on the water source. That said, it's no wonder so many of us are loyal to a particular brand. Take Frank Sinatra, who was partial to Evian.

According to one of the singer's riders, which revealed all his backstage requests for the dressing room, Sinatra asked for six bottles of Evian spring water. He also listed 12 water glasses, a large bottle of Perrier, a type of sparkling water, and an additional bottle of spring water. It's unclear why Sinatra wanted so much H2O on hand, but if you consider the tea bags, honey, citrus fruit, soup, and cough drops also on the rider, he may have simply been preparing his voice for a long night of crooning.

Singers need to stay thoroughly hydrated to keep their vocal cords lubricated. Tea and warm or room temperature water with lemon and honey can soothe your throat after a long performance. While the rider implies that Sinatra was readying his pipes for the crowd, it also lists caffeine, alcohol, carbonated drinks, and dairy, which experts say can dehydrate and stress your vocal cords. So, Sinatra wasn't a total purist; he wanted to nurture his voice without giving up his cocktails.

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There were plenty of beverages on Frank Sinatra's tour rider. The singer requested both regular Coca-Cola and Diet Coke, club soda, mixers, and many libations. We're talking white wine, red wine, Beefeater Gin (the star of Sinatra's strictly requested martinis), Courvoisier, Chivas Regal (which the Rat Pack used for old-school Rusty Nail cocktails), Absolut or Stoli, and, of course, Jack Daniels, Sinatra's favorite whiskey.

Despite the makeshift bar that Sinatra had backstage, he took caring for his voice very seriously. In fact, he practiced phrasing and breath control and studied bel canto opera with a vocal coach to improve, trying to use his voice like a real instrument. Once he did his vocal exercises, perfected his look, and cleared his head before a show, he'd take the stage. He'd always have a glass of cold mineral water nearby while he was performing to keep his vocal cords hydrated and up to the task.

In addition to drinks, Sinatra's rider supplied plenty of food. Think sandwiches — specifically egg salad, chicken salad, and turkey — snacks like pretzels and chips, fresh fruit, chilled jumbo shrimp, and candy, specifically cherry and assorted Lifesavers and miniature Tootsie Rolls. Even more interesting were the inedible items on Sinatra's rider, which included a color TV with a second input for in-house video, a private phone, and an upright piano.