Bob Frank

• Genre: Country-Folk/Bluegrass
• Hometown: El Sobrante
• Bob Frank Website

About

Bob Frank's 1972 self-titled debut on Vangaurd has become one of those holy grail finds for folk collectors - a set of twelve songs about shooting dope, drinking wine, and stealing cars. Produced on Music Row, the record came out of Frank's songwriting deal with Tree Publishing, and would be his first and last on Vanguard. He was dropped from the label after shooting his mouth off during a New York showcase, and punished with a career of self-issued records and moderate obscurity. While working as for the city of Oakland, Frank continued to make and release records part time, yielding some traditional folk gems like A Little Gist of Robin Hood and Keep On Burning. Frank co-wrote a collection of murder ballads, World Without End, with Mississippi-born songwriter John Murry, nearly forty years his junior which was released in 2006 and followed by the short Gunplay EP, both of which feature production and playing by American Music Club drummer Tim Mooney.

- Nate Baker