- Frank Guida
Frank Guida (May 26, 1922 - May 19, 2007) was a noted Sicilian-American
composer andmusic producer credited with discoveringGary U.S. Bonds , and was a songwriter forLeroy Toombs . Other performers discovered by Guida includeJimmy Soul ,Tommy Facenda ,Lenis Guess andPamala Stanley .Born at
Palermo , he came toNew York with his family as a child. While stationed inTrinidad during the Second World War, he fell under the influence of calypso. He relocated toNorfolk, Virginia , where he opened a record store in 1953. That store,Birdland Records , is still in operation as of 2006.He owned a number of record labels, including LeMonde (distributed by Atlantic), then Legrand (distributed by Rust/Laurie) and finally SPQR (distributed by London).
His most famous songs are "
If You Wanna Be Happy " (recorded by Jimmy Soul), "Quarter to Three ", and "New Orleans" (recorded by Gary U.S. Bonds). His 'live' 'party-in-the-studio' sound is thought to have influencedPhil Spector .Guida died in
Norfolk in 2007.External links
*amg | id = 11:3ckku3yjandk | label = Frank Guida
* [http://www.norfolk.gov/WalkOfFame/Frank_Guida.asp Legends of Music — Frank Guida]
* [http://www.birdlandmusic.com/ Birdland Music]
* [http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=125057&ran=231717 Frank Guida article]
* [http://www.tsimon.com/legrand.htm Legrand Records]
* [http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp941009/10080050.htm the Virginian Pilot article]
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