Biography

Big Frank is a traditional electric and acoustic blues musician known for his powerful vocals and bottleneck slide style. He has been a fixture in the NYC Tri-State blues scene for decades. While listening to Rock and Roll as a teenager, Frank’s ear was attracted to the blues elements evident in many of those tunes. His love of traditional blues and curiosity drove him to become a subject matter expert about its history. His playing style reflects his affinity for these traditional roots.

Over the years, Big Frank has opened for such acts as Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Bo Diddley Jr. and Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, to name a few. His playing has been featured on KFFA's renowned 'King Biscuit Flour Hour' where legendary disc jockey Sonny Payne referred to Frank's style as 'The closest thing I've heard to Hound Dog Taylor.' He has performed with blues legends Hubert Sumlin and Moose Walker and has been inducted into the New York and the New Jersey Blues Halls of Fame.

Frank's band, Big Frank and the Healers, released their third album in 2012 called Sparky's Lounge on the respected and critically acclaimed Lost World Music label. This release was named after his beloved pooch, Sparky. The album has created a stir and has been receiving heavy airplay in the US and Europe.

Established in 1990, Big Frank and the Healers have been cited in publications as far away as Austria's 'Blues Gazette'. Local favorites, they have played in scores of clubs and concerts, headlining at The Lake George Blues Festival, The Snug Harbor Arts Festival, the Catskills Blues Festival, The Glens Falls Blues Festival, and featured for many years in Staten Island's Beach and Park concert series, often as headliners.

Beginning in 2012, Big Frank has been able to feed his beautiful obsession with the blues by hosting a radio show on WFDU 89.1 FM. “Big Frank's Blues Kitchen” is now the featured blues show on Fridays between 12pm & 4pm at the station. Frank has quickly developed an enthusiastic listener-ship; eager for what Frank cooks up….

Also appearing on this album:
Matt Cowan - saxophones
Nikki Armstrong - backing vocals
Miranda St. Croix - backing vocals
Melanie Lonz Miglionica - backing vocals
Dave Gross - maracas on "Simple Man" & vibraslap on "Sparky's Lounge