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The Frank Wakefield Band

Frank Wakefield is a master musician whose incredible mandolin playing and unique vocals
have graced the sound of many top bluegrass bands, from Jimmy Martin to The Stanley Brothers.
Frank’s long partnership with Red Allen in their famous band “The Kentuckians” gave us some
of the best-loved classic sounds from the early days of Bluegrass.  He has also appeared with a
wide array of bluegrass, country, and popular artists, including Don Reno, Chubby Wise,
David Grisman, Tony Trischka, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Don Stover, Bill Harrell,
Del McCoury, J.D. Crowe, Hill Keith, Pete Wernick, Richard Greene, Joe Isaacs, Emmylou Harris,
Joan Baez, Jerry Garcia, The New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Leonard Bernstein and The Boston
Pops Orchestra to mention a few.   Frank is heard on numerous recordings and has eight solo
albums to his credit.  His popular release, “The Kitchen Tapes” has introduced an entire new
generation of fans to his music.   He has written over 40 songs, including the bluegrass classics,
“New Camptown Races”, “Mexican Stomp”, “Catnip”, “Bluegrass Band #1” and
“Leave Well Enough Alone”.  Frank Wakefield has twice performed his compositions at
New York’s Carnegie Hall.  In 1999 Frank was nominated for a Grammy as part of the
Mandolin Extravaganza Album.  Frank tours consistently with the Frank Wakefield Band
and is managed by Jim Moss.

Bill Monroe, Bean Blossom 1976:
“No one has come closer to my music than Frank Wakefield.  He is powerful musician.”

David Grisman, Frets Magazine:
“He split the Bluegrass mandolin atom.  Some of us, obviously, will never be the same again.”

James Monroe, Adventures in Bluegrass III:
“Frank’s a good man. He is a friend.  I think a lot of Frank Wakefield, he is funny.
He thought so much of my father’s music that he patterned his own after it.  Frank really
puts on a good show.  We use to do a lot of shows together back in the old days.
So, its good to talk about Old Frank, I like him.”  www.candlewater.com

Larry Sparks, Adventures in Bluegrass I:
“Frank Wakefield was big talk back in my part of the country.  He use to play around the
Dayton and Cincinnati area a lot and he was, and still is, a FINE mandolin player.  I got to
meet him in the late 60’s when I was working with Ralph Stanley.  Ralph had Frank come in
and do an album with us called: Bluegrass Sound.  Frank did some fine fine mandolin playing.
If you can get a hold of that album, do it.  Frank has always been one of my favorites.
Audiences love Frank’s shows.”  www.candlewater.com
 
 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Wakefield is a legendary mandolinist and among the foremost
original stylists in Bluegrass.  His 40 year career has delighted millions of fans throughout the entire world.
He has composed over 40 songs and is heard on numerous recordings.  Frank Wakefield has many
albums to his credit.

Born in Emory Gap, Tennessee, Frank began playing the guitar at age 6.  At age 16 he switched to
mandolin, and in partnership with his younger brother Ralph on guitar, he got his professional start.
Performing as The Wakefield Brothers on radio station WHIO in Dayton, Ohio, the duo specialized
in old time and gospel music.

In 1952, Frank met legendary Bluegrass singer-guitarist Red Allen and subsequently toured with
Red Allen and The Blue Ridge Mountain Boys, performing at clubs and shows in Ohio and the
upper Midwest and Bean Blossom over the next 3 years.

From 1955 to 1957, Frank worked with the Detroit-based Chain Mountain Boys, and it was
with this band that he cut his first 45 RPM recordings on the Wayside label, including the now-classic
Bluegrass standard “New Camptown Races”.   Shortly thereafter, Frank joined Jimmy Martin and
the Sunny Mountain Boys, touring nationally with Jimmy until 1958.

From 1958 to 1964, Frank reunited with Red Allen to form Red Allen, Frank Wakefield and The Kentuckians.
The Kentuckians were frequent guests on WWVA’s Wheeling Jamboree and also did a weekly
radio program over radio station WDON in Wheaton, Maryland.  Following several popular 45 RPM
recordings for the BMC and Starday  labels, The Kentuckians appeared at Carnegie Hall in September 1963.
The next year they recorded the seminal “Bluegrass” LP album on Folkways label.

In 1964, Frank became the mandolinist for the very popular Greenbriar Boys, lending his considerable
instrumental and vocal abilities to their many successful albums and live performances.
During this period Frank began to compose classical sonatas for the mandolin and arrange classical
pieces for traditional bluegrass instruments.   These efforts led him to guest appearances with
New York Philharmonic conductor Leonard Bernstein in 1967, and a guest spot in 1968 with
the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra.   His success in the classical field notwithstanding, Frank
continued to work with a host of Bluegrass artists throughout the late 1960’s, including a 1968 album
and appearances with Ralph Stanley and recordings with gospel and Bluegrass artists Joe Isaacs and Richard Greene.
In 1972, Frank launched his solo career, using the up-and –coming New York Bluegrass group
Country Cookin’ to back him on his first album for Rounder Records.   Numerous live and television
appearances followed, including an appearance on The David Frost Show, and guest spots with
Joan Baez, Don McLean, Oliver, and Don Everly.

Throughout 1973 and 1974, Frank toured widely with the country-rock band New Riders Of The Purple Sage
and multi-instrumentalist Jerry Garcia, and he also opened several shows for The Grateful Dead.
 

In 1975, Frank released his second solo album, “Pistol Packin’ Mama” featuring Bluegrass giants Don Reno
and Chubby Wise as well as New Riders’ guitarist David Nelson produced by Jerry Garcia.   From this highly
successful album came the idea of a new band, Frank Wakefield and the Good Old Boys, which toured widely
over the next 8 years and produced five albums on the Rounder, Flying Fish, Bay, Tacoma, and Relix labels.
Frank Wakefield moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1976 where Jim Moss as part of High Country,
first began working together with Frank as his backup band.

Frank’s album, “The Kitchen Tapes” on the Acoustic Disk label, has sold over 90,000 copies to date.
It features Frank and Red Allen in a delightful 1963 practice session and has introduced an entire new
generation of fans to Frank and his excellent music.  The response has been phenomenal.

In 1996, Frank recorded “That Was Then, This is Now”.   The Frank Wakefield Band has a series of
performance videos out called "Adventures In Bluegrass".  They are available from www.candlewater.com
along with other recordings made over the years.   Jim Moss and Frank Wakefield have collaborated
so far on twelve CD/DVD projects, "Sleeping Lady" for one has received high praise for both it's
High Impact Mix and it's hard core Wakefield Bluegrass sound.

In 1999, Frank was nominated for a Grammy as part of the “Mandolin Extravaganza” Album.
 

Today, Frank Wakefield has completed very successful tours of Japan, Australia, Europe, Cuba, Canada
and most cities in the United States.   Between live performances, songwriting, recording, and now with
Fiddler/Producer Jim Moss, movie-making.   Frank has a fine DVD instruction series that he markets
from his official web site www.candlewater.com.   Frank has a lesson series that he holds while on tour
in addition to his “Ultra Clear DVD Lesson Series”.  Frank believes in passing on to young players the
techniques he has acquired over a lifetime. Frank tours consistently with the Frank Wakefield Band.