Vocalist Frankie Alexander grew up listening to her sister’s jazz records, but never thought she’d become a musician herself until her late twenties. A North Carolina native from Concord, Frankie was discovered by Baltimoreans Yusuf Salim (born Joseph Blair), a jazz pianist and composer, and Bus Brown, a vocalist and friend of Billie Holiday.
Vocalist Frankie Alexander grew up listening to her sister’s jazz records, but never thought she’d become a musician herself until her late twenties. A North Carolina native from Concord, Frankie was discovered by Baltimoreans Yusuf Salim (born Joseph Blair), a jazz pianist and composer, and Bus Brown, a vocalist and friend of Billie Holiday.
Yusuf moved to Durham in the 1970s to escape Baltimore’s drug scene at the time. Following his conversion to Islam, he became the founder and owner of the Salaam Cultural Center, a jazz club in Durham that offered workshops to musicians, and he also hosted the segment, “Yusuf & Friends,” on PBS North Carolina. The pianist passed in 2008. Learn more about Yusuf.
Bus was the co-founder of the Harlem Highlanders, an African American singing and dancing troupe known for performing in kilts throughout the United States and Europe. The singer formed the group with his younger brother, “Baby Lawrence,” a tap dancer. Learn more about Bus through the Digital NC.
Frankie has been associated with the vocalists Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn, Sarah Vaughan, Abbey Lincoln, and Betty Carter. She’s performed at the venues Irregardless in Raleigh; the Sharp Nine Gallery, Nasher Café (in Duke University’s Nasher Museum), Guglhupf, and Vin Rouge in Durham; and Weaver Street Market and Akai Hana in Carrboro, among others.
Her CD, “Mad About the Words” (2007), is available at her performances. You can learn more about Frankie on her personal website. For upcoming events and to listen to some of her music online, head to Frankie’s ReverbNation page.
Frankie received her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1975. Prior to retirement, she served as a research administrator for the Duke University Medical Center.
Music credits
This episode features the songs “Once I Loved” and “Teach Me Tonight,” by Frankie Alexander.
This season features the songs “Forged in Rhythm” and “Callous & Kind” by Keenan McKenzie & The Riffers (2017), used by Six Count with permission from the artist.
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