Frank Wood musician from the 50's and 60's.
This is my bio from my web site: http://www.frankwood.net/bio.html
I am now retired and living in Nevada after working 30 years in the film industry. What many of you do not know is that I was a Musician for many years and had worked with many known musicians. Born in Oakland and then raised in San Francisco I went to Everett Jr. High in San Francisco where I learned to play the clarinet and saxophone. I continued playing at Polytechnic High School and gradutated in June of 1951. While in High School I teamed upwith Merl Saunders [ Picture ] (Piano, Organ) and with Vocalist Johnny Mathis. Also the band was discoverd by Lionel Hampton at a "Battle Of The Bands"contest and talent show in 1951.
From 1952 to Jan. 1954 I was in the Navy and spent most of my time in Japan and Korea. After getting out of the Navy I started playing with a group in San Jose, California at the Flamingo Club. DeRose's (1954 to 1957) night club then hired me and while playing at DeRose's, they sponsored me in my own DJ Show at Radio Station KSJO. "The Frank Wood Show". I met Oscar McLollie (R & BHit "Convicted") and June Cristy (Album "The Misty Miss Christy" available on CD) while doing a Seventeen Magazine Fashion Show in 1956. At that time I was also doing Sunday Afternoon Jam Sessions at the Tin Pan Ally in Atherton,Calif. While playing at DeRose's I had the opportunity to play with Vido Musso (Saxman with Stan Kenton).
I then joined the group "Rickey And The Four Keys" (1957 & 1958). Our first gig together was in Long Beach, Calif. at The Saddle And Spur. In December of1957 we played a show at the Texas Theater in San Antonio, Texas. We were then booked into The Sans Souci on the Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada (Jan. 1958). Jerry Lewis saw our show at the Sans Souci and hired us for his movie "RockA Bye Baby". We were then booked in San Jose (DeRose's), Long Beach (Henri's) and North Hollywood (The Rag Doll).
In early 1959 I joined up with Eddie Dugosh And The Redtoppers. We were booked into a club in Redding, Calif. and moved on to Portland, Oregon (Elmo'sSupper Club). The Redtoppers then joined up with Johnny Olenn at the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas (Mid 1959 thru 1961). While working at the Hacienda in August of 1960, we took a months break and we were booked in New Orleans, Louisiana (The Dream Room on Bourbon Street). In 1961 while playing at the Hacienda on the late shift (Midnight to 6:00 AM) we were also playing at the New Frontier Casino on the early shift (6:00 PM To 11:30 PM). We did that for about 3 months.
In March of 1962 I went to North Hollywood and joined up with Don Coats and we formed the group "The Playbacks" (1962 to 1966) playing at the Crossbow Inn in Panarama City, Calif. Then playing at the El Rey Club (So. Gate, Calif.), Hank And Stan's (Norwalk, Calif.), back to the El Rey Club. We released a single (45 Record) "Londonderry Air" & "It's Love Baby" in June of 1963. We were then booked into The Kismet (West Los Angeles) in October of 1963. The first part of 1964 we were booked into Gold Street a night club in Garden Grove, Calif. At that time we had the pleasure of backing up the Righteous Bros. and meeting Ike & Tina Turner while they were doing show at the club. We released an album "The Greatest Of The Latest" including the songs "Bread & Butter","Hitch Hike", "Guess Who", "Memphis", "My Babe", "C'Mon And Swim", "AndI Love Her", "I Saw Her Standing There", "Open Up Your Eyes", and "Money".In early 1965 while at the Red Velvet Night Club on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood we backed up Glen Campbell, Little Richard, Bobby Hatfield (of the Righteous Bros.), Paul Petterson (of The Donna Reed Show) and met Mamie Van Doren.We were then booked into the Rag Doll and the Prelude Night Clubs in North Hollywood.
In March of 1966 I went to work for MGM Studio's (1966 to 1991). I worked as a Film Labortory Technician (Printing, Printing Shift Boss, Printing Foreman, Customer Service Representative) for 25 years until the lab was shut down due to a takeover by Warner Bros. During that time in 1982 I met Tina and I Married her in August of 1983. We have a total of 5 Children from previous marriages, Frank, James, Kim, Michele and Julie. From 1991 to 1995 I worked at DeluxeLabortories as a Printing Foreman, Disney Studio's in the Editorial Department, and Turner Entertainment in their Vaults doing a special inventory of all their elements including Film (Negatives & Positives), Tapes, Mags & Misc. I was in the Film industry a total of 30 years. I retired from the Studio's March 31, 1995.I am now enjoying life as a Retiree and loving every moment of it.
