The Blues Foundation E-Mail Newsletter

October 14, 1999 - Helena, Arkansas, USA
Legendary Blues Harmonica player, Frank Frost, died of complications of a long illness Tuesday night October 12, 1999 at his home on Frank Frost Street, named in his honour, in Helena, AR. Born Frank Ottis Frost, on April 15, 1936 in Auvergne, AR, Frank Frost first played as an electric guitarist with Sam Carr and harmonica player Little Willie Foster in 1956 and later with Sonny Boy Williamson in St. Louis from 1957-1959. Frank played with Sam Carr as Frank Frost and the Nighthawks until 1975. They reunited in 1978 to record their first Earwig record as The Jellyroll Kings and toured the world to critical acclaim for many years. Frank's harmonica playing can be heard on motion pictures such as Crossroads and many others. They had also recorded with Sun, Appaloosa and Ichiban Records. Their last recording as The Jellyroll Kings was done in 1998 at the Sonny Boy's Music Hall in Helena, AR produced by Fred James for Bluesland Productions. Frank's last performance was on Friday, October 8 at the 14th Annual King Biscuit Blues Festival.

For the past many years, Frank's medical expenses and care had been supplied by Blues Aid, a non-profit organisation funded by Sonny Boy Blues Society, designed to aid older blues musicians in their twilight years.

Donations for Frank Frost burial expenses can be sent to Blues Aid, c/o Helena National Bank, P. O. Box 280, Helena, AR. Burial will be handled by Stephens Funeral Home, Helena, AR. Final arrangements have not been made. For more information, contact Bubba Sullivan, Sonny Boy Blues Society at 870-338-3501.

And from the Helena papers…

Legendary Blues Harmonica player, Frank Frost, 63, dead

Legendary Blues Harmonica player, Frank Frost, 63, died of complications of a long illness Tuesday night at his home on Frank Frost Street - named in his honor - in Helena. Born Frank Ottis Frost, on April 15, 1936 in Auvergne, Ark., Frost first played as an electric guitarist with Sam Carr and harmonica player Little Willie Foster in 1956 and later with Sonny Boy Williamson in St. Louis from 1957 until 1959.

"The blues world just lost one of the last of the real time Delta musicians. His music was enjoyed by people world-wide. He will be missed but his music will live on forever," says Bubba Sullivan, long-time friend of Frost.

Frost played with Sam Carr as Frank Frost and the Nighthawks until 1975. They reunited in 1978 to record their first Earwig record as The Jellyroll Kings and toured the world to critical acclaim for many years. Frank's harmonica-playing can be heard on motion pictures such as Crossroads and many others. They also recorded with Sun, Appaloosa and Ichiban Records. Their last recording as The Jellyroll Kings was done in 1998 at the Sonny Boy's Music Hall in Helena produced by Fred James from Bluesland Productions. Frank's last performance was on Friday, Oct. 8 at the 14th Annual King Biscuit Blues Festival.

For the past many years, Frank's medical expenses and care had been supplied by Blues Aid, a non-profit organization funded by Sonny Boy Blues Society, designed to aid older blues musicians in their twilight years.

Frost, who had made his home in Helena for the past 14 years, had performed in all 14 King Biscuit Blues Festivals. Sullivan said that despite all his physical ailments Frost played longer than ever in 1998, and added last year was one of his better times. Prior to moving here he lived in Greenville and Lula, Miss., and St. Louis.

Sullivan said that not only was Frost a harp player and vocalist, he played the keyboard by ear and in his early career days played the guitar. Sullivan said he could even play the guitar behind his back and over his head. He also wrote most of his own music and songs. Some of his most recent CDs included songs such as Jellyroll King, Helena Hop, Sittin' on Daddy's Knee, Will It Be You and You Took All My Dough.

Frost and Bubba Sullivan, owner of Blues Corner were really close friends. Sullivan says that Frost's popularity in Japan and Europe in general was of mammoth proportions. While on a tour in Japan he appeared on Japanese TV; when he played in a concert hall there, his picture was the only one fans would see on the wall. Not only did his fans know and love Frost, they knew the words to his music. Sullivan said that every year in June, 20 to 30 fans from Tokyo, known as the "Down Home Blues Tour," would come to the U.S. flying into Chicago for their Blues Fest, on to Nashville and Memphis, Clarksdale-Helena (where they visited with Frost and Sonny Payne), then travel onto Greenwood and New Orleans before returning home.

Sullivan said he helped Frost through Blues Aid and local lawyer Ray Galloway took care of his legal work. The two helped Frost set up contracts when he played in Europe to make sure he received up-front money and plane tickets before ever leaving Helena. In fact back on April 12 he took part in Blues Aid at Horseshoe Casino.

Sullivan said that even though Frost had a colostomy several years ago, followed by a heart attack, failing kidneys and blood pressure so high he was having mini-stokes, one of the hardest things to do was get Medicaid help for him. His most recent bout of illness was about seven weeks ago and he never really recovered.

Sullivan says something needs to be done because it's so hard for older people to get help. The older a person gets the less the government wants to help them. This is not only true of older musicians, but older Americans as well. It's unfortunate that his passing might possibly call attention to older people who need help.

His big hobby was fishing, and he kept going fishing until this past summer, and dropping by Bubba's to tell him about the big catches.

Sullivan said, "a lot of his fans and friends who were here for the festival got to visit with him one last time."

He adds, Frost was one of the last of the Delta Blues musicians and fortunately for us he left behind a lot of good records and CD's for us to listen to."

from:

The Blues News: www.blues.co.nz