b. 18th September 1944, La Jolla, California, U.S.A.
Michael Franks is an artist that surpasses many of the musical barriers that are part of todays music scene.
He is a highly accomplished lyricist.
Michael performed folk / rock songs while in high school, then became a literature student at UCLA and a part-time performer.
1973
He taught undergraduate music courses in the early '70's at both UCLA and Berkeley, then provided scores for the films 'Count Your Bullets' and 'Zandy's Bride'.
Michael made his first album in 1973, then enjoyed success with a string of late '70's albums on Warner Brothers.
He has worked with the likes of Flora Purim, Kenny Rankin, Ron Carter, the Crusaders, David Sanborn, Toots Thielemans, Eric Gale, and others, and has had songs recorded by Manhattan Transfer, Patti Labelle, Carmen McRae, and the Carpenters.
Although never attaining major success the quality of the material has never been in question and the high standards that were set during the Seventies, still remain today.
London Radio Deejay Jeff Young once said of Franks "If you are a young musician and are looking for inspiration with lyric writing, I would always point the individual in the direction of Michael Franks".High praise indeed.
Go check Michaels website:
Albums:
Michael Franks (Brut 1973)
The Art of Tea (Reprise 1976)
Sleeping Gypsy (Warner Brothers 1977)
Burchfield Nines (Warner Brothers 1978)
Tiger in the Rain (Warner Brothers 1979)
One Bad Habit (Warner Brothers 1980)
With Crossfire: Live (Warner Brothers 1980)
Objects of Desire (Warner Brothers 1982)
Passionfruit (Warner Brothers 1983)
Previously Unavailable (DRG 1983)
Skin Dive (Warner Brothers 1985)
The Camera Never Lies (Warner Brothers 1987)
Blue Pacific (Reprise 1990)
Dragonfly Summer (Warner Brothers 1993)
Abandoned Garden (Warner Brothers 1995)
Barefoot on the Beach (Windham Hill 1999)
Watching The Snow (Rhino 2004)
Rendezvous In Rio (Koch 2006)
