Rocky Frisco facts for kids

Don Roscoe Joseph III (born July 26, 1937 – died May 26, 2015), known to many as Rocky Frisco, was a talented American musician. He was famous for being the pianist for the band of J. J. Cale for many years. Rocky also helped create a special music style called the Tulsa Sound.

Rocky Frisco's Music Journey

Rocky Frisco was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He later moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he went to Central High School in the 1950s. There, he met another future music star, J. J. Cale. They both graduated in 1955.

In 1957, Rocky and J. J. Cale started playing music together in a band led by Gene Crose. A year later, in 1958, Rocky moved to Pennsylvania. He formed a band for a singer named Clyde Stacy. When Stacy stopped performing in 1959, Rocky became the lead singer for the band, which was called the Four Flames.

They even recorded an album in New York called The Big Ten. For this album, Rocky was known as "Rocky Curtiss and the Harmony Flames." Besides making music, Rocky also used his voice for radio and TV commercials.

In the mid-1960s, Rocky took a break from music. He moved to Ontario, Canada, and worked for a company called IBM. During this time, he also enjoyed racing cars like MGs and Mini Coopers. He even raced a Morris Mini in a big event before the 1967 Canadian Grand Prix.

Rocky returned to Tulsa in 1972 and started playing music again. He played with several bands, including the Don White Band and the John D. LeVan Band. Over the years, he also performed with many other artists.

Rocky rejoined J. J. Cale's band in 1994. They went on tour across the United States and Europe that summer and fall. Their concerts were even shown on TV in countries like France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

In 1996, Rocky played with J. J. Cale's band at a special concert at Carnegie Hall. They performed with another famous group called The Band. You can hear Rocky's piano playing on J. J. Cale's albums like J. J. Cale Live, To Tulsa And Back, and Roll On. Rocky also wrote and sang a song called "The Pursuit of Happiness." He appeared on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD and the J. J. Cale Band's tour video for To Tulsa and Back.

Awards and Recognition

Rocky Frisco received several important awards for his music.

• In May 2008, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award. This happened when he was inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame.
• On September 17, 2009, he joined the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. He won the Eldon Shamblin Session Musician Award.
• In April 2012, he received the "Living Legend" Award from the Bare Bones Film Festival.

Bands Rocky Played With

Rocky Frisco played and recorded music with many different bands and artists. Here are some of them:

Rocky Frisco as an Actor

Besides music, Rocky Frisco also appeared in films and videos sometimes.

• He was in a short film called Melvin, A Midwestern Tale.
• He also appeared in the 2003 Disney movie Where the Red Fern Grows.
• Rocky was featured in Lata Gouveia's documentary Red Dirt: Songs from the Dust.
• In July 2011, he appeared in the full-length movie Red Dirt on 66: A Road Movie.

Rocky's Hobbies and Interests

Friends often called Rocky Frisco the "Roxster." He was a talented songwriter and also wrote novels. His writings showed his unique way of looking at life.

Rocky had many hobbies. He loved restoring old English cars like Austin and Morris Mini Coopers and MGs. He also worked as a mechanic, fixing many different types of vehicles. This helped him earn money when he wasn't playing music.

He was a big fan of the author Terry Pratchett. Rocky even nicknamed his own Mini Cooper "The Luggage," which is a reference to Pratchett's books. Rocky was also skilled at making jewelry. He worked with silver and cut stones to create beautiful pendants and belt buckles.

Rocky was known for sharing his strong opinions about life. He even ran for political office in Tulsa a few times.

Rocky Frisco's Albums

Here are some of the albums Rocky Frisco released:

• Rocky Frisco (1996, released independently)
• Rocky Frisco (Expanded) (2014)
• An intimate moment with... the Legendary Rocky Frisco (2015)