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{{Nofootnotes|date=February 2009}}
{{Nofootnotes|date=February 2009}}
'''Franke and the Knockouts''' was a short lived, early 1980s band formed in [[New Jersey]], [[United States|USA]] and fronted by [[singer/songwriter]] [[Franke Previte]]. Originally there were five members in the band.
'''Franke and the Knockouts''' was a short lived, early 1980s band formed in [[New Jersey]], [[United States|USA]] and fronted by [[singer/songwriter]] [[Franke Previte]]. Originally there were five members in the band.
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 [[Guitarist]] [[Billy Elworthy]] and became a Top 10 hit in 1981, peaking at #10 in the U.S. They also wrote and released the original versions of [[Eric Carmen]]'s 1987 hit single "[[Hungry Eyes]]" as well as the song "[[(I've Had) The Time of My Life]]," (both of which were featured in the 1987 film ''[[Dirty Dancing]]''). [[Franke Previte|Previte]] would later be an [[Academy Award]] winner. The band switched to [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]] in 1984 and had several album releases but they disbanded in 1986. The group's other two Top 40 hits were "You're My Girl" and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)."
Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Jimmy Ienner of [[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 [[Guitarist]] [[Billy Elworthy]] and became a Top 10 hit in 1981, peaking at #10 in the U.S. Previte told [[Songfacts]]: "The song 'Sweetheart' almost didn't make the record. Jimmy thought it was a hit but a little to cute for a rock band. He was right." <ref name="songfacts">{{cite web
| url = http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=20373
| title = "Sweetheart"
| work = Songfacts.com
| accessdate = 2010-12-23
}}</ref>
They also wrote and released the original versions of [[Eric Carmen]]'s 1987 hit single "[[Hungry Eyes]]" as well as the song "[[(I've Had) The Time of My Life]]," (both of which were featured in the 1987 film ''[[Dirty Dancing]]''). [[Franke Previte|Previte]] would later be an [[Academy Award]] winner. The band switched to [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]] in 1984 and had several album releases but they disbanded in 1986. The group's other two Top 40 hits were "You're My Girl" and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)."
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Below the Belt Album.jpg|thumb|Franke & the Knockouts album "Below the Belt" from 1982]] -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Below the Belt Album.jpg|thumb|Franke & the Knockouts album "Below the Belt" from 1982]] -->


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==See also==
==See also==
* [[Dirty Dancing (soundtrack)]]
* [[Dirty Dancing (soundtrack)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==

Revision as of 19:03, 23 December 2010

Franke and the Knockouts was a short lived, early 1980s band formed in New Jersey, USA and fronted by singer/songwriter Franke Previte. Originally there were five members in the band. Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Jimmy Ienner of 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 Guitarist Billy Elworthy and became a Top 10 hit in 1981, peaking at #10 in the U.S. Previte told Songfacts: "The song 'Sweetheart' almost didn't make the record. Jimmy thought it was a hit but a little to cute for a rock band. He was right." [1] They also wrote and released the original versions of Eric Carmen's 1987 hit single "Hungry Eyes" as well as the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," (both of which were featured in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing). Previte would later be an Academy Award winner. The band switched to MCA in 1984 and had several album releases but they disbanded in 1986. The group's other two Top 40 hits were "You're My Girl" and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)."

Band members

Original Members

  • Franke Previte - lead vocals
  • Billy Elworthy - lead and rhythm guitars
  • Blake Levinsohn - keyboards
  • Tommy Ayers - keyboards, backing vocals (played on the first album, but didn't officially join the band until the next one)
  • Leigh Foxx - bass (currently in Blondie, as of 2010)
  • Claude LeHenaff - drums (left prior to recording of the second album)

Later Members

Additionally, several key session men have played with the band:

  • Al Wotton: drums on Below the Belt (1982) album
  • Charlie Dominici: backing vocals on self-titled debut
  • John DeNicola: bass on Makin' the Point (1984) album
    • DeNicola also co-wrote (with Previte) "Hungry Eyes" and "(I've Had) the Time of My Life," the original versions of which were recorded during his tenure with the band but went unreleased, until they both later appeared on The Sweetheart Collection

Discography

Albums

  • Franke and the Knockouts - 1981
  • Below the Belt - 1982
  • Makin' the Point - 1984

Compilation albums

Singles

  • 1981: "Sweetheart"
  • 1981: "You're My Girl"
  • 1982: "Without You"

See also

References

  1. ^ ""Sweetheart"". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
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