Frankie Sabath
Encyclopedia
Frankie Sabath began his musical career as a professional entertainer at age sixteen performing for The Kids From Ponce, a Puerto Rican
singing group from the 1960s whose popularity soared through their many television and live appearances at home and abroad.
After three years performing with such producers as Luis Vigoreaux
, Tommy Muniz
and Paquito Cordero
, the group disbanded but three of its members went on as soloists: the late singer and later photographer, Jose Manuel, the well-known Puerto Rican female vocalist Ednita Nazario
, and Sabath himself.
Sabath had a very successful career as a headliner with numerous TV appearances and the release of two hit songs: "Se Te Hizo Tarde" (You're Late) and "Cuando Me Pidas Perdon" (When You Ask For Forgiveness). He decided to move to the United States
and made his American debut in 1985, performing at the behest of his friend Ernesto Tarre for the Hispanic-American Queen of the Flowers pageant
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. Surrounded by his bodyguard
s and other security staff members, he performed riveting musical interpretations. The audience's response, with over twelve hundred people, spoke for itself. They knew he was more than a singer: he was a performer.
His demure style, so suave and romantic, made him a sensation, enormously popular with Chicago
television audiences. In 1986, he founded The Milwaukee Sound: a consortium of selected local musicians, some of them from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
and including the well-known musician and conductor Carol Klose.
Sabath headlined at Fiesta Mexicana in 1986 with Johnny Rodriguez
and in 1987 with Freddy Fender
. Now nicknamed Milwaukee's Frank Sinatra
, Sabath also appeared at the Rainbow Summer festival sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal and held at the Performing Arts Center.
In 1988, he was working in his first record release in the U.S. and had made his acting debut in Stud Terkel's musical Working—playing the character of Emilio Hernandez—when his father died. Overcome by grief, it took Sabath two years before he could return to the entertainment world.
In 1991, he was profiled for an article about his career and comeback in the Milwaukee Sentinel but tragedy struck again: his mother, who resided in Milwaukee at the time, also died unexpectedly. It took him another fifteen years before he accepted an invitation to perform at a concert. He performed accompanied by a hand-picked orchestra under the direction of Sergio "Veneno" Poventud at Milwaukee's United Community Center for Latino Arts.
On 2004 he headlined at Fiesta Boricua along with Alex D'Castro and Wichy Camacho. He returned to Fiesta Boricua in 2005, headlining this time along with La India.
In 2006, he became the top Latino
artist in the area, after headlining with Olga Tañon
at Fiesta Boricua with a stellar appearance that earned him the praise and admiration of Milwaukee's artistic community.
In 2007 Frankie Sabath headlined once again at Fiesta Boricua alongside Gilberto Santa Rosa
. After this performance, Frankie Sabath join forces with Christine Almeida in a duo that immediately attracted the attention of the community.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
singing group from the 1960s whose popularity soared through their many television and live appearances at home and abroad.
After three years performing with such producers as Luis Vigoreaux
Luis Vigoreaux
Luis Vigoreaux Rivera was a Puerto Rican radio and television show host, announcer, comedian and producer. The son of a sugar worker, Vigoreaux became one of the most popular television entertainers in Puerto Rico's history....
, Tommy Muniz
Tommy Muñiz
Lucas Tomás Muñiz Ramírez , better known as Tommy Muñiz, was a Puerto Rican comedy and drama actor, media producer, businessman and network owner...
and Paquito Cordero
Paquito Cordero
Paquito Cordero , was a comedian and television producer and also one of the pioneers of Puerto Rican television.-Early years:...
, the group disbanded but three of its members went on as soloists: the late singer and later photographer, Jose Manuel, the well-known Puerto Rican female vocalist Ednita Nazario
Ednita Nazario
Ednita Nazario is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter who has achieved stardom both at home and abroad. She has been in the music business from a young age, and has released over twenty albums throughout her career....
, and Sabath himself.
Sabath had a very successful career as a headliner with numerous TV appearances and the release of two hit songs: "Se Te Hizo Tarde" (You're Late) and "Cuando Me Pidas Perdon" (When You Ask For Forgiveness). He decided to move to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and made his American debut in 1985, performing at the behest of his friend Ernesto Tarre for the Hispanic-American Queen of the Flowers pageant
Beauty contest
A beauty pageant or beauty contest, is a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests often incorporate personality, talent, and answers to judges' questions as judged criteria...
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. Surrounded by his bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
s and other security staff members, he performed riveting musical interpretations. The audience's response, with over twelve hundred people, spoke for itself. They knew he was more than a singer: he was a performer.
His demure style, so suave and romantic, made him a sensation, enormously popular with Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
television audiences. In 1986, he founded The Milwaukee Sound: a consortium of selected local musicians, some of them from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music is an independent music school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The conservatory teaches many types of music, including classical, jazz, rock, folk, and blues...
and including the well-known musician and conductor Carol Klose.
Sabath headlined at Fiesta Mexicana in 1986 with Johnny Rodriguez
Johnny Rodriguez
Johnny Rodriguez is an American country music singer. He was the first famous Latin American country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds, and even singing verses of songs in Spanish....
and in 1987 with Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender , born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas, United States, was a Mexican-American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados...
. Now nicknamed Milwaukee's Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Sabath also appeared at the Rainbow Summer festival sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal and held at the Performing Arts Center.
In 1988, he was working in his first record release in the U.S. and had made his acting debut in Stud Terkel's musical Working—playing the character of Emilio Hernandez—when his father died. Overcome by grief, it took Sabath two years before he could return to the entertainment world.
In 1991, he was profiled for an article about his career and comeback in the Milwaukee Sentinel but tragedy struck again: his mother, who resided in Milwaukee at the time, also died unexpectedly. It took him another fifteen years before he accepted an invitation to perform at a concert. He performed accompanied by a hand-picked orchestra under the direction of Sergio "Veneno" Poventud at Milwaukee's United Community Center for Latino Arts.
On 2004 he headlined at Fiesta Boricua along with Alex D'Castro and Wichy Camacho. He returned to Fiesta Boricua in 2005, headlining this time along with La India.
In 2006, he became the top Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
artist in the area, after headlining with Olga Tañon
Olga Tañón
Olga Tañón is a two-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy-winning Merengue and Latin Pop artist. Tañón has earned 5 Latin Grammy Awards and 19 Premios Lo Nuestro awards during her career.-Early years:...
at Fiesta Boricua with a stellar appearance that earned him the praise and admiration of Milwaukee's artistic community.
In 2007 Frankie Sabath headlined once again at Fiesta Boricua alongside Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa, also known as "El Caballero de la Salsa" , is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero.-Early years:...
. After this performance, Frankie Sabath join forces with Christine Almeida in a duo that immediately attracted the attention of the community.