Frank Sinatra mural at American Federation of Musicians showcases members

On the surface, a new photo mural inside the offices of the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 in Burbank may just look like another stellar still of the great Frank Sinatra.

However, look closer and you’ll see more than a dozen musicians playing behind Ol’ Blue Eyes, all of whom were members of the music union years ago.

“It’s our history, and that’s what I love about it,” said Rick Baptist, vice president of AFM Local 47. “It was taken almost 40 years ago and it shows our musicians working, which we do every day of the year.”

Baptist, a veteran trumpet player who has recorded with Sinatra and many other artists over the years, said many of the musicians in the photo can be identified. Though many have passed away, Baptist said that moment in time will live on in the mural.

“It evokes memories of working with all those guys in that photo,” he said.

The Burbank chapter of the music union recently moved its offices to 3220 Winona Ave., which used to be an Enterprise car rental location near Hollywood Burbank Airport.

Baptist said he and building designer John Cambianica were thinking of how to decorate the reception area, where there was a large blank wall. They thought it would be an ideal spot for some kind of artwork.

Union member Jerry Sharell, a former longtime executive for Buddah Records and Elektra Asylum Records, caught wind of Baptist’s small dilemma and gave his friend a few photos he had taken of Sinatra back in 1980.

The Chairman of the Board was performing at what was then the Universal Amphitheatre — later renamed the Gibson Amphitheatre until it was demolished in 2013. Sharell, who at the time was working on a record with Nancy Sinatra, said he asked her initially if he could have a few tickets to see her father perform.

Wanting a little extra, though, Sharell asked Nancy Sinatra if he could possibly meet her father backstage.

“She said, ‘OK, consider it done,’” Sharell said.

Before the concert, he ended up meeting Frank Sinatra, had a gin and tonic with him and took a photo with him in his trailer.

Then, Sharell pushed for a bit more. He asked Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatra’s right-hand man, if he could take photos of the singer while he performed that night.

“He wrote down on a piece of paper, ‘OK for pictures — Jilly,’ and he pinned it in on my lapel,” Sharell said.

Sharell ended up taking four rolls of photos of Frank Sinatra and said he promised not to sell them. However, he has been donating some of the photos to charities and nonprofits to help with fundraising.

Though retired, Sharell is still involved with music, hosting a weekly radio show called “Weekends with Sinatra and Sharell” on KKJZ.

“I never expected that a picture I took in 1980 would go up on a wall,” he said. “It was quite an honor.”

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio