Frankie Ervin facts for kids

Frank Miller "Frankie" Ervin (born March 27, 1926 – died February 1, 2009) was an American R&B singer. He was known for singing both by himself and with popular groups. Some of his famous songs include "Dragnet Blues" with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers and "You Cheated" with The Shields.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Frankie Ervin was born in Blythe, California. After his father left, his mother, Lula Deveroux, moved the family to different towns in Oklahoma, like Woodville and Madill, Oklahoma. She really wanted her eight children (four boys and four girls) to join talent shows.

Later, the family moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma. Here, Frankie learned tap dancing and sang in church. In 1942, he joined his older brothers, Jesse and Warren, in Fort Worth, Texas. They had a dance act called Skid and Slid. In 1944, the family moved to Los Angeles. Frankie and Jesse Ervin worked odd jobs and started performing in clubs on Central Avenue.

First Steps in Music

In 1951, Frankie Ervin signed with Mercury Records as a singer. He released his first single, "High School Baby." He worked with Maxwell Davis' band, and his brother Jesse Ervin played guitar. The next year, he sang with Oscar Moore's Combo. In 1953, he recorded with Preston Love's band, using the name Frank Evans.

Later that year, he became the lead singer for Johnny Moore's Three Blazers. They recorded "Dragnet Blues" for the Bihari brothers' Modern label. The song used part of the theme music from the popular Dragnet TV show. The show's creator, Jack Webb, had some legal issues with the song, but it was sorted out. "Dragnet Blues" became a hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard R&B chart.

The record company wanted Ervin to sing solo, so he left Johnny Moore's group. But his solo songs weren't as successful, so he went back to touring with the Three Blazers. In 1955, he recorded "Johnny Ace's Last Letter" with the group. He also recorded some Christmas songs with them, like "Christmas Eve Baby." He even recorded under another name, Frankie Day, for a different record label.

The Shields and "You Cheated"

In early 1958, a record producer named George Motola asked Ervin to record a song called "You Cheated." This song had already been recorded by another group. For this recording, Ervin sang with a special studio group called The Shields. This group included talented musicians like Jesse Belvin and Johnny "Guitar" Watson.

"You Cheated" was first released on a small label, then re-released by Dot Records. It became a huge hit! It reached number 12 on the pop chart and number 11 on the R&B chart. Frankie Ervin toured and appeared on TV to promote the song. Even though the original studio group didn't tour with him, they got back together to record more songs, like "Nature Boy," but these weren't as successful.

Later Career and Legacy

Frankie Ervin kept recording songs on his own for a few years, but they didn't become big hits. In the 1960s, he stepped away from the music business. However, he returned in 1982, performing with a band called Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88 in San Francisco.

In 1987, a collection of his songs from the 1950s, called Dragnet Blues, was released. This led him to record new music in 1988 with bands led by Ernie Freeman and Charles Brown. He continued to perform, mostly in the San Francisco area. In 1996, he released another collection of his songs, You Cheated, You Lied, on his own record label.

Frankie Ervin passed away in San Francisco in 2009, at the age of 82.