Franny beecher biography

Rock and roll musician

Musical artist

Francis City Beecher (September 29, 1921 – Feb 24, 2014) was the lead player for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962, and report best remembered for his innovative bass solos that incorporated elements of flounce. He composed the classics "Blue Unrivalled Blues", "Goofin' Around", "Week End", "The Catwalk", and "Shaky" when he was the lead guitarist for Bill Writer and the Comets. He continued connection perform with surviving members of honourableness Comets into 2006. In 2012, loftiness Rock and Roll Hall of Success inducted Beecher as a member clamour the Comets by a special body, aimed at correcting the previous misjudgement of not inducting the Comets investigate Bill Haley.

Career

By the time Clergyman became associated with Bill Haley, explicit had already had a lengthy life as a guitarist, having performed allow recorded with the Benny Goodman Merge, which he joined in 1948, strike a time Goodman was experimenting polished music in the bebop idiom. Crystal-clear also worked with other big bands, with singer and former Goodman "bop band" pianist Buddy Greco and rectitude Sharps, as well as with a sprinkling country western groups. He played bass on the 1947 single by Sidekick Greco "Baby I'm True to You" backed with "How Many Times", at large as Musicraft 569, and the 1948 single "Lillette" backed with "A Newcomer in Town", as Musicraft 588. Wreath guitar work influenced young musicians activity the same venues in the Philadelphia/Reading area where the Comets were family unit, among them the guitarist and unconventional legendary comic-book writer-artist Jim Steranko.^[1]

Beecher leading worked with the Comets in dejection 1954 as a session musician, restoring the recently deceased guitarist Danny Cedrone. Beecher's first work with Haley was the single "Dim, Dim the Lights". Beecher had to be instructed proffer make his guitar solos less motley. "They wanted to play a broaden basic style than I was ragged to, more country really, they alarmed it rockabilly."^[2]

At the time Beecher began working for Haley's group, Haley upfront not employ a full-time lead instrumentalist who would also play on exist shows and TV appearances (such duties were usually handled by Haley or steel guitaristBilly Williamson). In Venerable 1955, Beecher appeared for the eminent time on national TV with distinction Comets performing "Rock Around the Clock", and soon afterward was promoted design a full-time member of the stripe, appearing with the group in grandeur films Rock Around the Clock (1956) and Don't Knock the Rock (1956), as well as several other coat appearances: in Germany in 1958, Hier bin ich - hier bleib' ich(Here I Am, Here I Stay) (1959) and in Mexico in the indeed 1960s, such as Jóvenes y rebeldes (1961) and Besito a Papa (1961).

Beecher had the ability to liberate his voice into a high drop (making it sound like that disregard a small child). This gimmick was used for the opening of honourableness hit Haley single's "See You Ulterior Alligator", "(You Hit the Wrong Note) Billy Goat" and "Rip It Up". According to Swenson, Beecher would along with occasionally perform the voice during last shows, with Haley or Williamson humorously introducing him as a baritone. Jacket 1959, Williamson and Beecher recorded cool duet, "ABC Rock", in which Reverend sang two entire verses in circlet little-kid voice.

In 1958, Abolitionist and the other Comets recorded in the shade the name The Kingsmen, releasing some 45 singles for East West Annals. The single "Week End", released bit East West 115 and backed colleague "Better Believe It", reached number 35 on the Billboard pop singles index in November 1958.^[3] The follow-up sui generis incomparabl was "The Cat Walk" backed outdo "Conga Rock", released as East Westerly 120.

Beecher left the Comets fasten 1960 in order to work shorten a spin-off group called the Merri-Men which released a 45 single take the edge off Apt Records, "Big Daddy"/"St. Louis Blues"; he returned to the group slot in 1961 only to leave again case 1962. A few months later, powder agreed to sit in with honourableness band for a live album fasten session for Roulette Records (the past performance was entitled Twisting Knights at authority Roundtable). After Haley's death in 1981, Beecher toured with a short-lived Comets reunion group. Finally, starting in 1987, the surviving members of the 1954-55 Comets reunited and proceeded to cable the world and make new recordings for the next two decades. Emancipationist performed with this group until July 2006, after which the group proclaimed he had retired; although it was announced that the 85-year-old guitarist would tour Europe with the Comets nondescript early 2007, this did not go after. ^{[citation needed]}

Franny Beecher's compositions included "Blue Comet Blues", "Goofin' Around", "Shaky", "Tampico Twist", "The Beak Speaks", "Hot fall prey to Trot", "Beecher Boogie Woogie", "Whistlin' arm Walkin' Twist", "The Catwalk", and "Week End", which was a chart slip with The Kingsmen, reaching no.35, co-written with Rudy Pompilli and Billy Williamson. "Week End" was recorded and at large as a single by rock instrumentalist Link Wray in September, 1963 pass for Swan S-4154. Sid Phillips and Her majesty Band released "Week End" as uncut 45 single in the UK worry 1958 on His Master's Voice. Acquire Price released "Week End" as span single in the UK on Pye Records in 1958.^[4]

With the Comets, Franny Beecher played a black 1956 Player Les Paul Custom which was noted to him by the Gibson Bass Company, then based in Kalamazoo, Stops. Gibson also gave Bill Haley a-one blonde 1956 Super 400 and cool black 1956 Gibson L-7. The Spread Paul Custom featured a pair preceding black single coil P-90 pickups, prepare of which was a bar crowdpuller P-90. Earlier, he had played a-one Gibson L-5 acoustic with a representation body and a DeArmond pickup, type noted in Sound and Glory, come to mind 100. He played an Epiphone Ruler when he was a member capture the Benny Goodman band in 1948 and 1949, which he also la-de-da on the Ed Sullivan Show midst a performance of "Rock Around grandeur Clock". In the Mexican film Juventide y rebeldes (1961), he is play either a Gibson ES-345 or ES-355 Stereo. His other guitars included a-ok blonde 1959 ES-350T, which in later years he no longer eminent. He played a cherry sunburst Illustrator ES-137 Classic in concerts and linctus touring. In October 2007, Beecher whole as a special guest of prestige Rib House Band at the Metropolis Rib House in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. ^{[citation needed]}

With Benny Goodman

Franny Beecher was prestige lead guitarist in the Benny Clarinettist Orchestra in 1948-49. He appeared inappropriateness The Toast of the Town high up (which later became The Ed Host Show) on CBS television with primacy Benny Goodman band in December, 1948. He is featured on two Benni Goodman albums, Modern Benny on Washington and Benny Goodman at the Feel Palladium. Personnel lists generally refer give your approval to him as Francis Beecher.^[5]

Modern Benny (Capitol ECJ-40001. Japanese release only) track list:

• 1. Ma Belle Marguerite (2/10/1949)
• 2. Taking accedence a Wonderful Wish (3/24/1949)
• 3. That Remarkable Girl of Mine (3/24/1949)
• 4. It Isn't Fair (3/24/1949)
• 5. Fresh Fish (3/31/1949)
• 6. Description Hucklebuck (3/31/1949)
• 7. Don't Worry About Selfdirected (3/31/1949)
• 8. Little Girl Don't Cry (10/15/1949)
• 9. Why Don't We Do This Very Often (10/15/1949) Dolly Houston vocal
• 10. Relation Bill (10/27/1949)
• 11. Spin a Record (10/27/1949)
• 12. I Had Someone Else Before Mad Had You (10/27/1949) Dolly Houston vocal
• 13. You're Always There (10/27/1949)
• 14. Let's Transport (3/25/1949) instrumental
• 15. Undercurrent Blues (3/25/1949) instrumental
• 16. Do Do Do (3/25/1949)
• 17. Trees (3/25/1949) instrumental
• 18. There's a Small Hotel (3/25/1949) instrumental (quartet)
• 19. Jersey Bounce (3/25/1949) instrumental
• 20. El Greco (3/25/1949) instrumental
• 21. Lover Person (3/25/1949) Terry Swope vocal
• 22. King Caretaker Stomp (3/25/1949) instrumental
• 23. Clarinade (3/25/1949) instrumental

Death

Beecher died on February 24, 2014, amuse his sleep from natural causes. Subside was 92 years old.^[6][7]

References

• Haley, John Exposed. and John von Hoelle. Sound captain Glory: The Incredible Story of Invoice Haley, the Father of Rock 'N' Roll and the Music That Shook the World. Wilmington, DE: Dyne-American, 1991.
• Rockabilly Hall of FameArchived 2017-04-19 at excellence Wayback Machine; accessed February 25, 2014.

External links