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Frank Lamphere

Frank Lamphere is a singer of swingin' straight-ahead jazz and traditional pop

About Me

Frank Lamphere has been a professional singer in the specialized genres often referred to as traditional pop and straight-ahead jazz. Lamphere has been honing his swinging style for 25 years. A style which has borrowed from the titans of popular music prior to 1970: Ol’ Blue Eyes, Dino, Jack Jones, Buddy Greco, Tony Bennett, Elvis and others.

Frank's musical journey began at a young age, singing along to the records he played, on his “record player”. He always had an ear for music recorded “before his time” a trait inherited from his dad. While in his late-teens and early 20s opportunities to sit-in with local bar bands and mini sets with a wedding band were a great introduction to performing in front of a live audience. Later, jazz took on a profound role in his musical direction when he “found” pianist Billy Pierce and also began frequenting several jazz jam sessions. In 1998 good fortune fell upon Lamphere as he was offered steady club work with the popular Johnny Gabor Trio. Shortly after, he began successfully taking on his own gigs, not only in the Chicago area, but all over the country. Over the years, Lamphere has retained a day-job. Deck contractor and owner of A-Affordable Decks, which attained 30 years in business in Autumn 2022.

In 2002, Lamphere released a thirteen-track tribute to the great American lyricist Sammy Cahn, who had been a friend and frequent collaborator of Frank Sinatra. The album “Ain’t Love a Kick” attracted positive national attention. Concentrating on his live performances and a new family, it was ten years until Frank put out his next release, a five song EP of original songs entitled “Frank Swings”. In January 2021 “America the Beautiful, Swinging” a seven-song disc was released. This one featured his original Las Vegas recorded with nine horns.

Career highlights include singing for radio and television commercials, headlining numerous Rat Pack themed shows across the Midwest, corporate gigs from Las Vegas to New York, even a couple of jazz clubs in Milan, Italy. The song I Never Forgot from his CD “Frank Swings” was featured prominently in the award-winning independent film Theresa Is a Mother. Frank continues to be hired across the U.S. to perform his specialty “Rat Pack Jazz” when “the music needs to be right”. His bands are comprised of some of the creme-of-the-crop musicians in the world of jazz. Frank has been very active in the studio and has recorded an album worth of Sinatra songs for his future jazzy Frank Sinatra tribute “Frank Songs, My Way”. Other projects are in the works. Lamphere is married and has two children.