Frank D'Rone (April 26, 1932 – October 3, 2013) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

singer and guitarist.

Biography

D'Rone's first album, ''Frank D'Rone Sings'', was released in 1959, and included

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desc ...

penned by Nat "King" Cole, who later helped D'Rone earn several appearances on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

'' in the 1960s and 1970s. An album with arrangements by Billy May, ''After the Ball'', was released in 1960. D'Rone was a performer at the

hungry i The hungry i was a nightclub in San Francisco, California, originally located in the North Beach neighborhood. It played a major role in the history of stand-up comedy in the United States. It was launched by Eric "Big Daddy" Nord, who sold i ...

nightclub in San Francisco, California, where he recorded a live 1962 album, ''In Person''. However his recording contract with Mercury ended at this time. He also recorded for Columbia Records and RCA Camden. In late 1959 and early 1960s he made numerous appearances on Hugh Hefner's PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE. His style was praised by jazz critic

Will Friedwald Will Friedwald (born September 16, 1961) is an American author and music critic. He has written for newspapers that include the ''Wall Street Journal'', ''New York Times'', ''Village Voice'', '' Newsday'', '' New York Observer'', and ''New Yor ...

as "all singing from the heart and no put-ons."Friedwald, Will. ''Jazz Singing: America's Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond.'' Page 330-331. Da Capo Press, 1996 He had one hit in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in 1960, with the song "Strawberry Blonde (The Band Rocked On)". In 2006, D'Rone released a recording made in 1984 at a club in Chicago (Benchley's On Broadway), entitled ''Falling In Love With Love - Live In Chicago''. For the past few years before his illness, D'Rone had been performing at various venues in the Chicago area, including Chambers Restaurant, The Green Mill, at the

Chicago Jazz Festival The Chicago Jazz Festival is an admission-free, four-day annual jazz festival in Chicago's Millennium Park. It is run by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and programmed with the assistance of Jazz Institute of Chicago during ...

L and the Jazz Showcase. He also performed benefits for a school in Michigan at which he made a DVD. In 2012, D'Rone released a new CD, ''Double Exposure'' (Whaling City Sounds), in which his vocals are self-accompanied on guitar, alternated with big band numbers with charts written by Phil Kelly. D'Rone died on October 3, 2013, aged 81, in

Wheaton, Illinois Wheaton is a suburban city in Milton and Winfield Townships and is the county seat of DuPage County, Illinois. It is located approximately west of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 52,894, which was estimated ...

from cancer.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Drone, Frank 1932 births 2013 deaths American jazz singers American jazz musicians Musicians from Brockton, Massachusetts Musicians from Providence, Rhode Island Singers from Chicago Deaths from cancer in Illinois Jazz musicians from Massachusetts Jazz musicians from Illinois