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Frankie Ford, singer of ‘Sea Cruise,’ dies at 76
Music
Frankie Ford, singer of ‘Sea Cruise,’ dies at 76
By news services and staff reports October 1
Frankie Ford, a rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues singer whose 1959 hit “Sea Cruise” brought him international fame when he was 19, died Sept. 28 at his home in Gretna, La., near New Orleans. He was 76.
The Jefferson Parish, La., coroner’s office confirmed the death but did not cite a cause. Mr. Ford had been unable to walk since he was hit by a car in Memphis several years ago, said Mike Shepherd, head of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, which inducted Mr. Ford in 2010.
In addition to “Sea Cruise,” Billboard magazine’s No. 14 on the Hot 100 and No. 11 for rhythm and blues in 1959, Mr. Ford’s recordings included “Roberta,” “Time After Time” and “You Talk Too Much.”
His version of “You Talk Too Much” aired while Joe Jones’s recordings of the song were tied up in court. Jones’s recording eventually reached No. 3, while none of Mr. Ford’s after “Sea Cruise” made it higher than 72, the mark set by “Seventeen” in 1961.
Frankie Ford, singer of ‘Sea Cruise,’ dies at 76
By news services and staff reports October 1
Frankie Ford, a rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues singer whose 1959 hit “Sea Cruise” brought him international fame when he was 19, died Sept. 28 at his home in Gretna, La., near New Orleans. He was 76.
The Jefferson Parish, La., coroner’s office confirmed the death but did not cite a cause. Mr. Ford had been unable to walk since he was hit by a car in Memphis several years ago, said Mike Shepherd, head of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, which inducted Mr. Ford in 2010.
In addition to “Sea Cruise,” Billboard magazine’s No. 14 on the Hot 100 and No. 11 for rhythm and blues in 1959, Mr. Ford’s recordings included “Roberta,” “Time After Time” and “You Talk Too Much.”
His version of “You Talk Too Much” aired while Joe Jones’s recordings of the song were tied up in court. Jones’s recording eventually reached No. 3, while none of Mr. Ford’s after “Sea Cruise” made it higher than 72, the mark set by “Seventeen” in 1961.
Music
Frankie Ford, Singer of ‘Sea Cruise,’ Dies at 76
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SEPT. 30, 2015
Frankie Ford, a singer whose hit record “Sea Cruise” brought him international fame when he was 19, died on Monday in Gretna, La., near New Orleans. He was 76. ... The coroner’s office in Jefferson Parish, La., confirmed his death, but did not specify a cause.
Mike Shepherd, executive director of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, which inducted Mr. Ford in 2010, said that Mr. Ford had been ill for some time and unable to walk since he was hit by a car in Memphis several years ago.
“Sea Cruise,” which combined a bouncy, hard-charging rhythm with simple, upbeat lyrics (“Be my guest, you got nothin’ to lose/Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise?”), reached No. 14 on Billboard magazine’s pop singles chart and No. 11 on the rhythm-and-blues list in 1959. It was Mr. Ford’s only Top 40 single.
The song was written by the New Orleans R&B pianist Huey Smith and originally recorded (but not released) by Mr. Smith and his group the Clowns.
Frankie Ford, Singer of ‘Sea Cruise,’ Dies at 76
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SEPT. 30, 2015
Frankie Ford, a singer whose hit record “Sea Cruise” brought him international fame when he was 19, died on Monday in Gretna, La., near New Orleans. He was 76. ... The coroner’s office in Jefferson Parish, La., confirmed his death, but did not specify a cause.
Mike Shepherd, executive director of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, which inducted Mr. Ford in 2010, said that Mr. Ford had been ill for some time and unable to walk since he was hit by a car in Memphis several years ago.
“Sea Cruise,” which combined a bouncy, hard-charging rhythm with simple, upbeat lyrics (“Be my guest, you got nothin’ to lose/Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise?”), reached No. 14 on Billboard magazine’s pop singles chart and No. 11 on the rhythm-and-blues list in 1959. It was Mr. Ford’s only Top 40 single.
The song was written by the New Orleans R&B pianist Huey Smith and originally recorded (but not released) by Mr. Smith and his group the Clowns.
Previously at DU: Reply #52: Very good. Do you know the piano player on Frankie Ford's Sea Cruise.
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
at an event in Jackson Square. 
