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Frank "Lefty" James is back at The American Legion Post 59 on Friday Night, April 25th!! If you're a true country fan this is a show you won't want to miss!Here's a little history on him:
Frank's country music roots go deep, stemming from his West Virginia coal mining family. The family moved to the New York City area during WWII to work in the defense plants. It was there, at the age of about 7 or 8, that Frank began singing in the Honkytonks that his family frequented. Around 1962 he began singing professionally.
Relocating to Wisconsin in 1965, Frank continued his musical career. Playing clubs and shows, that featured future stars such as, Bobby G. Rice and Joe Sun. Frank was also a featured singer on a weekly Sunday live radio show broadcast on WMAD-AM from the Park Ponderosa Ballroom.
Frank eventually moved to Nashville, landing a job as a writer on TNN's Fandango game show. Frank was also a writer on WSM radio's Waking Crew show, hosted then by Charlie Chase. This made it possible for him to spend time backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, and the Hee Haw television set. There he met and worked with many stars of both shows such as Jack Greene, Jeannie Seely, Faron Young, Hank Snow, Red Sovine, Jean Shepard, David Houston, Hank Thompson, Ernie Ashworth and more! Through some of his Nashville connections, Frank became friends with the Merle Haggard organization and traveled with them for two years. The professionalism he learned from this group has become invaluable to him.
In 1989, radio station Q106 FM sponsored the first annual Madison Country Music Awards show. Area fans voted Frank "Local Country Artist of the Year" the first two years. Frank's nightclub "Country Corners" was voted top "Country and Western Nightclub of the Year" in 1989, 1990, 1991. Frank was inducted into Madison's Country Hall of Fame in 1994.
Long after opening 'Country Corners', the Madison Repertory Theater asked Frank to audition for the lead role in the Broadway hit musical, Pump Boys and Dinettes. The part involved acting as well as singing. Frank won the role but had to turn it down due to the great success and his total commitment to his nightclub.
In the year 2001, in Madison Magazine's country music category, Frank was named a local legend. In November 2002, Frank finished in the top ten contestants of USA Network's Nashville Star competition in Orlando, Fla. In October of 2004, Frank opened a show for Grand Ole' Opry star "Penny DeHaven". In November 2004, Frank had the honor of sharing the stage with "Bobby G. Rice"
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
803 N Page St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589
