Franke Previte
Encyclopedia
Franke Jon Previte is a composer who grew up in New Brunswick, New Jersey
.
rock quintet Franke and the Knockouts
as the singer and songwriter. Previously he had sung with the Oxford Watch Band and the heavy metal
band Bull Angus. Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records
in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles and two Top 50 albums. Franke and the Knockouts' biggest single, "Sweetheart" was written by Previte and Knockout guitarist
Billy Elworthy and became a Top 10 hit in 1981. The group's other two Top 40 hits were "You're My Girl" and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)". The band switched to Music Corporation of America
in 1984, but they split up around 1986. Franke Previte co-wrote music for the hit soundtrack
to the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing
. He has a sister who is a Ph.D. scientist in the pharmaceutical industry.
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
.
Biography
He was with the New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
rock quintet Franke and the Knockouts
Franke and the Knockouts
Franke and the Knockouts was a short-lived band, formed in New Jersey, USA and fronted by singer/songwriter Franke Previte.Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles and two Top 50 albums...
as the singer and songwriter. Previously he had sung with the Oxford Watch Band and the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Bull Angus. Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records
Millennium Records
Millennium Records originally started at 3 West 57th Street New York in 1977, and was distributed by Neil Bogart's Casablanca label. The R&B group Brooklyn Dreams. Their artist was likely electronic music pioneer Meco, whose disco cover of John Williams "Star Wars/Cantina Band" cues from Star Wars...
in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles and two Top 50 albums. Franke and the Knockouts' biggest single, "Sweetheart" was written by Previte and Knockout guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Billy Elworthy and became a Top 10 hit in 1981. The group's other two Top 40 hits were "You're My Girl" and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)". The band switched to Music Corporation of America
Music Corporation of America
MCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business...
in 1984, but they split up around 1986. Franke Previte co-wrote music for the hit soundtrack
Dirty Dancing (soundtrack)
Dirty Dancing is the original soundtrack of the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. The album became a huge commercial success in the USA. It spent 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 album sales charts and went multi-platinum. It spawned a follow-up album entitled More Dirty Dancing . Executive Produced by...
to the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
. He has a sister who is a Ph.D. scientist in the pharmaceutical industry.
Award
- Academy AwardAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Achievement in Music; Best Song for 1987 for Dirty DancingDirty DancingDirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
s "(I've Had) The Time of My Life(I've Had) The Time of My Life" The Time of My Life" is a song composed by Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz. It was recorded by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, after having been selected to be the finale song for the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, by choreographer Kenny Ortega and his assistant Miranda Garrison...
" with co-composers John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz.