Michael Frank
Michael Frank plays harmonica on the following Earwig recordings: Driftin’ (CD 4947), Roamin’ and Ramblin’ (CD 4953), Don’t Let The Devil In (CD 4958), and The Blues Sessions (CD 4962).
Earwig Music owner and producer Michael Frank took up the harmonica and blues record collecting during his junior high school years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After his college graduation he moved to Chicago to do social work in child welfare. He also had a goal to meet as many blues musicians as he could.
Michael Frank & David “Honeyboy” Edwards
In 1973, Michael Frank began playing the harmonica with David “Honeyboy” Edwards as a duo and in a four-piece blues band, the Honeyboy Edwards Blues Band. During this time, Frank was also responsible for managing and booking both the duo and four-piece blues band.
Starting in 1976, the Honeyboy Edwards Blues Band played numerous Chicago and U.S. clubs, colleges, and festivals, including:
- Elsewhere, B.L.U.E.S.
- University of Illinois
- Chicago Fest and the Chicago Blues Festival
- Canadian festivals
Though the Honeyboy Edwards Blues Band disbanded in 1985 due to health issues of two of its members, Michael Frank and Honeyboy Edwards carried on. The two continued playing clubs and festivals in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South America. During their performances together, Frank would often play harmonica for part of the show while Honeyboy regaled the audience with his true-life blues tales. Over the years, Frank’s engagement of Honeyboy in storytelling, and Honeyboy’s near photographic memory made Honeyboy the most sought after blues musician for documentaries on the blues and 20th century American music.
Frank’s role in Honeyboy’s career included that of:
- Harmonica accompanist
- Manager and Tour Manager
- Booking agent
- Producer
- Biographer
In March 2005, Frank left his child welfare position to devote his energy to increasing Mr. Edwards’ tour opportunities. In subsequent years, Frank and Honeyboy Edwards continued to perform 75+ shows per year. In fact, Honeyboy and Frank toured together until four months before Honeyboy’s death in 2011 at the age of 96.
He is a co-author, along with Janet Martinson Herbert, of Honeyboy’s oral history, The World Don’t Owe Me Nothing, and Co-Producer, along with Lynn Orman Weiss, of the documentary film Six Generations of the Blues: From Mississippi to Chicago.
The Earwig Music Company
The more time that Michael Frank spent hanging out in blues bars and performing in them, the more he saw how underrepresented a lot of blues musicians were. Frank discovered that many blues musicians who had made great records in years past were no longer getting decent gigs or even making new records.
As a result, Frank started the Earwig Music Company in 1978 to record and book underrepresented blues musicians and to assist these artists in furthering their careers. Since then, the label has released 72 blues, jazz, gospel and storytelling recordings. Earwig Music Company has also produced music for other labels.
Michael Frank and the Earwig Music Company staff have produced numerous concerts and club tours, featuring revues of various artists on the label as well as other, lesser known musicians. These efforts, along with working to produce new releases and provide management and consulting services for Earwig recording artists, has been Frank’s main focus since Honeyboy Edwards’ death.
Michael Frank Awards, Accomplishments & Recognition
In 2008, Michael Frank received The Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award as Artist Manager of Honeyboy Edwards.
Michael is a voting member of the Grammy Awards, and a judge of the Blues Foundation’s annual International Blues Challenge.
He is a co-author, along with Janet Martinson Herbert, of Honeyboy’s oral history, The World Don’t Owe Me Nothing, and Co-Producer, along with Lynn Orman Weiss, of the documentary film Six Generations of the Blues: From Mississippi to Chicago.
Michael Frank is available for lectures on the blues and on the music business.
