Another crooner at the Bing: Spokane’s Frank Sinatra crooner Shawn Stratte pays tribute to timeless singer

For one of Spokane’s most prominent local musicians, Friday’s show at the famed Bing Crosby Theater will be a culmination of years of continued local dedication while also paying homage to one of the all-time greats: Frank Sinatra.

Shawn Stratte, 28, was taking piano lessons by age 5 and would find a knack for singing a few years later, but it wasn’t until 2018 that he would truly find a passion for performance.

Stratte was a more than well-versed piano player by the time he was attempting to land a job playing on a cruise ship bound for the Bahamas (which he did inevitably get), but he needed video evidence of his performing skills.

It was throughout the process of playing every open mic he could find in the Inland Northwest that he realized what performing for others could do.

“I started getting into music because I wanted a job, but once I started performing, I saw how much fun people can have and how you can change people’s mood just by playing the right song,” Stratte said. “That’s when I really started falling in love with it.”

It was also during this process that Stratte found a residency and his first indication of community prominence at the Ridler Piano Bar downtown.

While continuing to grow his video portfolio and list of open mic venues, Stratte found himself in conversation with the bar’s owner, Steve Ridler, who offered Stratte a coveted playing position on the weekends.

Playing at Ridler’s not only began to shape his local notoriety, but his own sense of style within his covers and interpretations.

“My style is more soulful and jazzy, maybe a little funky,” Stratte said. “Whenever I play the piano bar, I definitely try to add something … I try to make songs like a super simple pop song more interesting, more fun to play and more fun to listen to.”

Stratte’s style can also be found in his own work – multiple EPs (including his latest “I’m Home”) as well as two full-length albums, 2020’s “Take A Break” and 2023’s “Sippin’ on You.”

“Playing covers is cool and I definitely like playing covers, but as a musician I feel like you can add more to the world and express yourself more if you write your own songs,” Stratte said.

Now, he’ll be playing his first theater show at the Bing during his tribute performance “That’s Life – An Evening of Frank Sinatra” on Friday.

The two-hour set will feature a full band (brass included) and walk the audience through the history of Sinatra and his iconic career.

“I really care about this show and the music,” Stratte said. “I respect it a lot and I hope to do it justice.”