▁and ▁pian ist , ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁and ▁association ▁with ▁Frank ▁Sin atra ▁from ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁San icola ▁was ▁born ▁into ▁an ▁Italian - American ▁family ▁that ▁had ▁its ▁roots ▁in ▁Sic ily . ▁Phys ically ▁large , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁box er ▁in ▁his ▁youth ▁and ▁entered ▁the ▁music ▁business ▁as ▁a ▁road house ▁piano ▁player . ▁ ▁Work ▁with ▁Frank ▁Sin atra ▁San icola ▁was ▁Sin atra ' s ▁original ▁manager ▁and ▁" song ▁plug ger " ▁from ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁on wards . ▁The ▁two ▁met ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁when ▁San icola ▁was ▁prom oting ▁records ▁for ▁Warner ▁B ros . ▁Records . ▁Due ▁to ▁their ▁similar ▁background s , ▁the ▁two ▁began ▁working ▁together ▁with ▁San icola ▁finding ▁jobs ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁the ▁piano ▁and ▁Sin atra ▁would ▁sing . ▁San icola ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁Sin atra ' s ▁closest ▁friends , ▁and ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁his ▁body guard ▁during ▁Sin atra ' s ▁performances ▁with ▁the ▁Tommy ▁Dor sey ▁band . ▁The ▁two ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁several ▁business ▁vent ures , ▁including ▁a ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Ben ▁Bart on ▁of ▁Bart on ▁Music ▁Cor p , ▁and ▁several ▁box ing ▁prom ot ions . ▁The ▁two ▁had ▁a ▁permanent ▁falling - out ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁following ▁pressure ▁from ▁the ▁authorities ▁on ▁Sin atra ▁to ▁sell ▁his