Franny Beecher
Francis Eugene Beecher (September 29, 1921 – February 24, 2014) was the lead guitarist for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962, and is best remembered for his innovative guitar solos combining elements of country music and jazz. He composed the classics "Blue Comet Blues", "Goofin' Around", "Week End", "The Catwalk", and "Shaky" when he was the lead guitarist for Bill Haley and the Comets. He continued to perform with surviving members of the Comets into 2006. In 2012, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Beecher as a member of the Comets by a special committee, aimed at correcting the previous mistake of not inducting the Comets with Bill Haley. |
Birth and Death Data: Born September 29, 1921 (Norristown), Died February 24, 2014 (Philadelphia)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1954 - 1959
Roles Represented in DAHR: lead guitar
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 94 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | 86809 | 9/21/1954 | Happy baby | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 86810 | 9/21/1954 | Dim, dim the lights (I want some atmosphere)-1 | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 87325 | 1/5/1955 | Birth of the boogie-1 | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 87326 | 1/5/1955 | Mambo rock | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 87921 | 5/10/1955 | Two hound dogs | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 87922 | 5/10/1955 | Razzle dazzle | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 88690 | 9/22/1955 | R-O-C-K | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 88691 | 9/22/1955 | Rock-a-beatin' boogie | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 88692 | 9/23/1955 | The Saints rock 'n' roll | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 88693 | 9/23/1955 | Burn that candle | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 88995 | 12/12/1955 | See you later, alligator | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 88996 | 12/12/1955 | The paper boy (on Main Street, U.S.A.) | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89594 | 3/23/1956 | Goofin' around | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89595 | 3/23/1956 | Rudy's rock | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89596 | 3/23/1956 | Hide and seek-1 | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89597 | 3/23/1956 | Hey then, there now | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89598 | 3/23/1956 | Tonight's the night | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89599 | 3/23/1956 | Hook, line and sinker | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89611 | 3/27/1956 | Blue comet blues | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89612 | 3/27/1956 | Calling all comets | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89613 | 3/27/1956 | Choo choo ch'boogie | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89614 | 3/30/1956 | A rockin' little tune | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89615 | 3/30/1956 | Hot dog buddy buddy | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 89616 | 3/30/1956 | Rockin' through the rye | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar | |||
| Decca | 100316 | 7/12/1956 | Teenager's mother | Comets ; Bill Haley | instrumentalist, lead guitar |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Beecher, Franny," accessed April 16, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/303629.
Beecher, Franny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 16, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/303629.
"Beecher, Franny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 16 April 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Francis 'Franny' Beecher
Discogs: Franny Beecher
Allmusic: Franny Beecher
IMDb: Franny Beecher
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Beecher, Franny, 1921-2014 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2012077201
Wikidata: Francis 'Franny' Beecher - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1445381
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/250854944
MusicBrainz: Francis 'Franny' Beecher - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/25c2b261-b518-483f-88c2-129617d707d7
ISNI: 0000 0003 7131 9644 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000371319644
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