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Nancy Sinatra | Amanda Erlinger | Source: Getty Images
Nancy Sinatra | Amanda Erlinger | Source: Getty Images

Amanda Kate Lambert Erlinger Learned a Lot from Her Grandfather – Facts about the Life of Nancy Sinatra's Daughter

Jana Stevens
Nov 27, 2022
02:30 P.M.

Amanda Kate Lambert Erlinger was raised in a close-knit Italian family, with summers at her grandfather Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs compound. Her mother, Nancy Sinatra, succeeded in raising a grounded daughter while surrounded by luminaries of the day.

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Besides the press she did while promoting her book on Frank Sinatra, Amanda Kate Lambert Erlinger has kept a low profile. Though younger by a year, her sister AJ says, she always acted like the older sibling and is more responsible.

The grandkids of Old Blue Eyes reportedly received $1 million each when he passed away at 82 on May 14, 1998. His eldest grandchild AJ lives off her music career and says she is saving the inheritance for her child. It is unknown how her sister utilized the windfall.

 AJ Lambert and Amanda Erlinger attend Architects of Sound: Frank Sinatra at Club Nokia on October 21, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

AJ Lambert and Amanda Erlinger attend Architects of Sound: Frank Sinatra at Club Nokia on October 21, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Amanda Lost Her Father at an Early Age

Amanda Katherine Lambert, the second daughter of Nancy Jr. and Hugh Lambert, was born on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1976, and was considered a "perfect little girl" and a "delight" by her singer mom. She attended Beverly Hills High School.

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Her father had an appreciation for photography, in which he encouraged her. He was a dancer, choreographer, producer, and military veteran, who worked on the variety show "The Ed Sullivan Show.'' He passed away at age 55 from cancer on August 18, 1985.

Her mother says he was the "love of her life" and did not remarry. The singer took a break from a multimillion-record-selling career in entertainment to raise her two kids and has made many comebacks through the years.

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In her biography of her father, Nancy Jr. wrote about how intuitive Frank was in his interactions with her girls and that, unlike other adults, he was never rude to kids. Later in the book, she notes an emotional call with Amanda, who missed her while on tour.

In a rare in-depth profile, Amanda shared that her fondest memories of her family were spending time at Palm Springs for the major holidays, where AJ says they spent "at least" 30% of their time. Their mom remembered one such day over Christmastime in 1979:

"…the family heard the rough tapes of Trilogy in Palm Springs. Four-year-old AJ and not quite three-year-old Amanda snuggled with their "Pop-Pop." […] We laughed and cried and shared this unequaled gift of talent and music. It was an evening that lingered."

Amanda Erlinger attends the Sinatra 100 Flag-Raising at the Capitol Records Building on December 11, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Amanda Erlinger attends the Sinatra 100 Flag-Raising at the Capitol Records Building on December 11, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

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Amanda Lambert Was Interested in Art from an Early Age

Born into a highly creative family that gravitated towards the performance arts, Amanda, who described herself then as "shy and behind the scenes," found her niche in visual art in elementary school.

Her grandpa Frank was a hobbyist painter since his 20s and had an art studio in Palm Springs, where he taught her painting techniques and how to work with different materials. He also showed her how to use a camera while sitting poolside.

The artist hopes to leave a part of herself through her creative endeavors: "Even though they seem modest, they are part of me." She studied fine arts, focusing on painting and photography, and art history in college.

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There are few traces of her art on the internet, as her social media accounts are either set to private or have been deleted, and her website is inactive. The best example of her work is the artwork for her mother's self-titled record.

Nancy Barbato Sinatra, who remained friends with Frank after their divorce in 1951, entrusted her with a personal archive of photos.

Nancy Jr. made her 2004 comeback very personal by having her daughter AJ produce the album and commissioning Amanda to do the grey-tone artwork. In September 2022, the singer tweeted that it's perhaps the album she's most proud of.

Nancy Sinatra and Amanda Erlinger attend the "Sinatra" book launch event at Saks Fifth Avenue on July 23, 2015 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Nancy Sinatra and Amanda Erlinger attend the "Sinatra" book launch event at Saks Fifth Avenue on July 23, 2015 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Amanda Erlinger Was Involved in the Creation of the Book "Sinatra"

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Family members approached Amanda to curate a book in honor of her Pop-Pop's 100th birthday. As manager and archivist of his photographic collections since 2002, she was ideally placed to take on the task.

Her grandmother, Nancy Barbato Sinatra, who remained friends with Frank after their divorce in 1951, entrusted her with a personal archive of photos of the exes the family had not even seen. One of her favorites is a young Frank swimming in the ocean in New Jersey.

With co-editor Robin Morgan, she created a 400-page book with a limited print run of 1,000 copies that retailed at $1,500. Family members and friends like Debbie Reynolds, George Clooney, and Quincy Jones contributed their fondest memories to the book titled "Sinatra."

Erik Paparozzi, AJ Paparozzi, Miranda Paparozzi, Tina Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Amanda Erlinger and her husband attend the Capitol Records' tree lighting ceremony at Capitol Records Studio on November 21, 2011 in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Erik Paparozzi, AJ Paparozzi, Miranda Paparozzi, Tina Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Amanda Erlinger and her husband attend the Capitol Records' tree lighting ceremony at Capitol Records Studio on November 21, 2011 in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

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Amanda Erlinger Met Her Husband When She Was 19

When asked what the best thing was about being her, Amanda immediately brought it back to her family, crediting them for the "wonderful existence" that she leads. The Los Angeles native also mentioned her husband, Michael:

"The best thing is that I have an amazing husband. He is the love of my life; he is my best friend. I'm lucky that I met him early on in my life, when I was 19 years old, and he has always been there for me."

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Amanda, who strives to be a person of substance, answered the tricky question of who she is by saying, "I like to think of myself as an artist and a person with a good soul. I will continue to strive to be the best that I can be. And also have a little fun along the way!"

Nancy Sinatra Jr.'s second youngest daughter has lived her whole life in Los Angeles, California, where she is still believed to reside and loves spending time on the beach to swim and surf. Little is known about the artist's inheritance from her grandpa or her daughter Annabelle.

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