Ronald George Frangipane
| Ronald George Frangipane | |
|---|---|
| https://www.emmys.com/sites/default/files/bios/ron-frangipane-450x600.jpg | |
| Born | July 26, 1944 |
| 💀Died | April 25, 2020 Tinton Falls, New JerseyApril 25, 2020 |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Musician, composer, and musical arranger. |
| 🏅 Awards | Emmy |
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Ronald Frangipane (July 26, 1944 – April 25, 2020) was an Emmy award-winning American musician, composer, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, musical director, Grammy-nominated producer, and Clio award-winning jingle writer. He was also a tenured professor of Music at Monmouth University and was involved with many Gold and Platinum certified records throughout his career.[1]
Early Life and Education
Ronald Frangipane was born on July 26, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, he began playing the accordion and quickly started to study piano, followed by saxophone and clarinet in order to join his high school band. As a teenager, he regularly placed in the top 5 in regional and national accordion competitions. He attended The Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School, and received his Master's degree in Fine Arts from Goddard College. While at Eastman, he was the youngest (to date) summer replacement pianist during Zero Mostel's tenure as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof on Broadway.
Career
Frangipane began his career in the 1950s as a session musician and arranger, working on recordings for a variety of artists and labels. After graduating with his degree from Eastman, he was hired as an on- and off-stage keyboard player on the ill-fated Broadway show The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake and met the great Jeff Barry who had written the music for the show. Jeff Barry took instantly to Ron's playing and hired him as his go-to keyboard player, as Artie Butler (Barry's keyboard player to that point) had gone west to California. Ron told his good friend Ron Dante that Barry was looking for a singer for his new band, The Archies, and urged him to try out. Ron Frangipane and Dante went on to make a great deal of music together in the Archies, Dante's first solo album Ron Dante Brings You Up (1970), on other projects such as The California Gold Rush and C.G. Rose, in theatre, and in their jingle company, Tintinnabulation. Frangipane played keyboards for nearly all of Jeff Barry's productions in the late 1960s into the early 1970s.
Frangipane is perhaps best known for his work as a keyboardist and arranger for a number of high-profile artists, including Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Warwick, and Carly Simon. He also contributed his talents to film scores, playing keyboards on the soundtracks for movies such as Barbarella (1968) and Midnight Cowboy (1969). Frangipane was known for his ability to create lush, complex arrangements that brought out the best in the songs he worked on. He was particularly adept at working with vocalists, and his arrangements helped to showcase the talents of singers such as Streisand and Diamond.
In the 1970s, Frangipane continued to work as an arranger and conductor for a variety of artists, including Harry Nilsson and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He also worked as a musical director for television shows such as The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. In addition, he composed the score to Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain with Don Cherry and Jodorowsky in 1973.
Frangipane worked in the record industry for 15 years, from 1967 to 1982, while simultaneously working in film, theater, and jingle writing. In 1983, he left the record industry and became the Senior Creative Director of Frank Gari Productions, one of the most respected TV and radio agencies in the world. In the early 1990s, he left FGP and the East Coast to become the Vice-President of Creative Services at a new startup called ETM in Southern California. It was ETM that Pearl Jam teamed up with to battle Ticketmaster. ETM was to be a division of CBS, but they were unable to work out the deal, and when Pearl Jam abandoned their boycott, the company folded soon after, during the dot-com bubble burst.
In 1997, Frangipane returned to New Jersey to begin the chapter of his career that he always said was the most satisfying: becoming a tenured professor of Music at Monmouth University. He taught music theory, composition, arranging, and orchestration, and mentored many aspiring musicians. His impact on the Monmouth music program was immeasurable, and he continued to inspire students and colleagues until his retirement in 2012.
Throughout his career, Frangipane received numerous accolades for his work, including a Grammy nomination for his work with Grace Slick, Gold and Platinum records for his work with Gene Simmons, Diana Ross, and Janis Ian, and a Clio award for his jingle writing. He also won an Emmy for his score for a television show called This Was America, presented by William Shatner, in 1981.
Frangipane's first professional record release was as the composer of Al Caiola's Evening Tide in 1960, when Ron was 15 years old. In the late 1960s, he played keyboards on the soundtracks to both Barbarella and Midnight Cowboy. By 1970, he was arranging more than playing. He played keyboards and arranged material for Melanie, and in fact was the first musician she played with live, and for a time he was the only pianist she used on stage, including Carnegie Hall, Summer Stage in Central Park, The Met, and Drury Lane, as Melanie stated in a Facebook post after Ron's death. While recording The Chesapeake Jukebox Band, Frangipane met John Lennon who hired him to orchestrate the strings on Happy XMAS (War Is Over) (1971) (uncredited). A few months later, Lennon brought him back to orchestrate the strings on Some Time In New York City, and Yoko Ono hired him to orchestrate strings on her double album Approximately Infinite Universe.
Personal Life
In his personal life, Frangipane was known for his kindness, humor, and generosity. He had a passion for cooking and was an accomplished chef, often preparing meals for family and friends. He was also an avid collector of vintage instruments, and his extensive collection included rare and unique pieces from around the world.
Ronald Frangipane passed away on April 25, 2020, in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, due to complications from COVID-19. He was 75 years old. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren, as well as the many students, colleagues, and fans who were touched by his music and his spirit.[2][3]
Notable Works
| Year | Work | ||
| 1960 | Evening Tide by Al Caiola | ||
| 1969 | "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies | ||
| 1970 | Rated X for Excitement by Ron Frangipane and His Orchestra | ||
| 1971 | Rainbow Ride by Andy Kim | ||
| 1971 | Happy XMAS (War Is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono | ||
| 1973 | The Holy Mountain (film score) by Jodorowsky's with Don Cherry |
References
- ↑ "Ron Frangipane: Multi-Instrumentalist, Arranger, and Composer". Monmouth University Department of Music and Theatre Arts. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Ron Frangipane, Emmy-winning composer and Monmouth University professor, dies of COVID-19". Asbury Park Press. April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Ron Frangipane, Composer and Musician, Dies of COVID-19 at 75". The New York Times. May 2, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2022
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