The DeFranco Family
Encyclopedia
The DeFranco Family featuring Tony DeFranco was a 1970s pop music
group
and family from Port Colborne, Ontario
, Canada
. The group, all siblings, consists of Benny DeFranco (born 11 July 1953), the guitarist; Marisa DeFranco (born 23 July 1954), the keyboardist; Nino DeFranco (born 19 October 1955), the second guitarist; Merlina DeFranco (born 20 July 1957), the drummer; and Tony DeFranco (born 31 August 1959), the lead singer. The group had a number of hits between 1973 and 1977, including "Abra-Ca-Dabra" and their biggest hit, "Heartbeat (It's a Love Beat)." Either Tony DeFranco or the entire family appeared in almost every issue of a number of the teen
magazines of this period, such as Tiger Beat
and Flip. By the late 1970s, the group had faded from the pop scene. Tony DeFranco is now a real estate
agent in the Westlake Village
, California
area.
, "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat," featuring the lead vocals of then 13-year-old Tony DeFranco, reached number three in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100
chart
and the top slot on the Cashbox singles chart, as well as hitting number three in their native Canada on the RPM 100
national Top Singles chart, selling more than two million copies in the process. Their second single, "Abra-Ca-Dabra," which reached the Top 40, was followed by their final hit, "Save the Last Dance for Me," which reached number 18 on the charts in May 1974.
The DeFranco Family's active career reached a roadblock when a rock
version of their tune
"Write Me a Letter" failed to generate much attention and reached no higher than the 104th slot on the charts. Although their earlier hits had been produced
by Walt Meskell, the disappointing sales of "Write Me a Letter" prompted their record label
, 20th Century Fox
, to fire Meskell and team the group with Mike Curb
, who had previously worked with The Osmonds
. The collaboration proved disastrous. When Curb attempted to recast the group as a cover
band, they resisted and severed their relationship with their publisher and manager, Charles Laufer and Laufer Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox.
Unable to attract interest from another label, they continued to tour and perform in Las Vegas. Frustrated by their inability to attain their previous heights, they disbanded in 1978. A reunion concert at Rhino Records' Retro Fest in August 1999 was followed by the DeFranco Family's final performance at B.B. King's Nightclub
in Los Angeles in April 2000.
The five siblings who comprised the DeFranco Family were born to Italian immigrant parents and raised in Port Colborne and Welland, Ontario. Initially performing as the DeFranco Quintet, the group found success after a demo tape of their songs was heard by Sharon Lee, editor of teen magazine Tiger Beat. Impressed by what she heard, Lee arranged for Charles Laufer to fly the group to Los Angeles for an audition. Laufer signed the group to an exclusive deal with his company, Laufer Entertainment, financed a three-song demo, and helped them to secure a contract with 20th Century Records.
The DeFranco Family recorded in the famed United Western Recorders
studios in Hollywood, (now known as Ocean Way Recording
) with accompaniment by Wrecking Crew veterans Hal Blaine
on drum
s, Larry Carlton
on guitar
, and Max Bennett (bass player). They appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
nine times.
Tony has been a realtor with Sotheby International Realty in Westlake Village, California
.
The siblings live within an hour drive from each other in California and remain close. Although the DeFranco Family are no longer involved in the music industry, Tony and Marisa perform on occasion.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
and family from Port Colborne, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The group, all siblings, consists of Benny DeFranco (born 11 July 1953), the guitarist; Marisa DeFranco (born 23 July 1954), the keyboardist; Nino DeFranco (born 19 October 1955), the second guitarist; Merlina DeFranco (born 20 July 1957), the drummer; and Tony DeFranco (born 31 August 1959), the lead singer. The group had a number of hits between 1973 and 1977, including "Abra-Ca-Dabra" and their biggest hit, "Heartbeat (It's a Love Beat)." Either Tony DeFranco or the entire family appeared in almost every issue of a number of the teen
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
magazines of this period, such as Tiger Beat
Tiger Beat
Tiger Beat is an American fan magazine marketed primarily to adolescent girls. It is currently published by Laufer Media, Inc. of Los Angeles, California, which also produces its sister publication, Bop....
and Flip. By the late 1970s, the group had faded from the pop scene. Tony DeFranco is now a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agent in the Westlake Village
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a planned community that straddles the Los Angeles and Ventura county line. The eastern portion is the incorporated city Westlake Village, located on the western edge of Los Angeles County, California. The city, located in the region known as the Conejo Valley, encompasses half...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
area.
Biography
With their youthful exuberance and lighthearted approach to music, the DeFranco Family were a successful pop music act in the mid-1970s. Their debut 1973 singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat," featuring the lead vocals of then 13-year-old Tony DeFranco, reached number three in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
and the top slot on the Cashbox singles chart, as well as hitting number three in their native Canada on the RPM 100
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
national Top Singles chart, selling more than two million copies in the process. Their second single, "Abra-Ca-Dabra," which reached the Top 40, was followed by their final hit, "Save the Last Dance for Me," which reached number 18 on the charts in May 1974.
The DeFranco Family's active career reached a roadblock when a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
version of their tune
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Write Me a Letter" failed to generate much attention and reached no higher than the 104th slot on the charts. Although their earlier hits had been produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Walt Meskell, the disappointing sales of "Write Me a Letter" prompted their record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, to fire Meskell and team the group with Mike Curb
Mike Curb
Michael Curb is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
, who had previously worked with The Osmonds
The Osmonds
The Osmonds are an American family music group with a long and varied career—a career that took them from singing barbershop music as children, to achieving success as teen-music idols, to producing a hit television show, and to continued success as solo and group performers...
. The collaboration proved disastrous. When Curb attempted to recast the group as a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
band, they resisted and severed their relationship with their publisher and manager, Charles Laufer and Laufer Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox.
Unable to attract interest from another label, they continued to tour and perform in Las Vegas. Frustrated by their inability to attain their previous heights, they disbanded in 1978. A reunion concert at Rhino Records' Retro Fest in August 1999 was followed by the DeFranco Family's final performance at B.B. King's Nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Los Angeles in April 2000.
The five siblings who comprised the DeFranco Family were born to Italian immigrant parents and raised in Port Colborne and Welland, Ontario. Initially performing as the DeFranco Quintet, the group found success after a demo tape of their songs was heard by Sharon Lee, editor of teen magazine Tiger Beat. Impressed by what she heard, Lee arranged for Charles Laufer to fly the group to Los Angeles for an audition. Laufer signed the group to an exclusive deal with his company, Laufer Entertainment, financed a three-song demo, and helped them to secure a contract with 20th Century Records.
The DeFranco Family recorded in the famed United Western Recorders
United Western Recorders
United Western Recorders, often abbreviated to UWR, was a renowned recording studio complex in Hollywood, California, which became one of the most successful independent recording studios in the world in the late 1950s and 1960s....
studios in Hollywood, (now known as Ocean Way Recording
Ocean Way Recording
Ocean Way Recording is the name of a series of recording studios in Hollywood, California and Nashville, Tennessee. Ocean Way Studios is well known in the recording industry due to the award-winning albums that were produced there....
) with accompaniment by Wrecking Crew veterans Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and Max Bennett (bass player). They appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
nine times.
Tony has been a realtor with Sotheby International Realty in Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a planned community that straddles the Los Angeles and Ventura county line. The eastern portion is the incorporated city Westlake Village, located on the western edge of Los Angeles County, California. The city, located in the region known as the Conejo Valley, encompasses half...
.
The siblings live within an hour drive from each other in California and remain close. Although the DeFranco Family are no longer involved in the music industry, Tony and Marisa perform on occasion.
Discography
- 1973 "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat" (#3 on Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) - 1973 "Abra-ca-dabra" (#32 on Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) - 1974 "Save the Last Dance for Me" (#18 on Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) - 1974 "Write Me a Letter" (#104 Bubbling Under Hot 100)
- 1975 "We Belong Together"
- 1976 "Venus" (released in Japan only)
- 1973 "Heartbeat, It's A Lovebeat" LP (#109 Billboard)
- 1974 "Save The Last Dance For Me" LP (#163 Billboard)
Television appearances
- Dinah - January 23, 1975
- Dinah - March 17, 1975
- Dinah - April 16, 1975
- Dinah - August 19, 1975
- Dinah - August 28, 1975
- Mike Douglas - April 2, 1975
- Mike Douglas - June 27, 1975
- Mike Douglas - August 12, 1975
- Jack Benny's Second Farewell Special - January 24, 1974 (Taping dates: December 15–16, 1973)
- The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, Season 4 Ep.21- February 13, 1974
- American Bandstand - July 14, 1973
- Action '73 - 5th Special - October 27, 1973
- American Bandstand - February 2, 1974
- Action '74 - April 27, 1974
- American Bandstand - June 1, 1974
- American Bandstand - September 21, 1974
Recent appearances
- Boston, MA - February 9, 1993 (Tony only)
- Rhino Retrofest - Santa Monica, CA - August 14 & 15, 1999 (Benny, Marisa, Merlina & Tony only)
- BB King's - Universal City, CA - April 13, 2000
- Port Colborne, Ontario CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- November 16, 2001 (Benny & Tony only) - Detroit, MI - February 13, 2004 - (Tony only)
- Warsaw, IN - February 14, 2004 - (Tony only)