- Frankie Sabath
Frankie Sabath (Born in
Ponce, Puerto Rico )1951 , began his musical career as a professional entertainer at age sixteen performing for The Kids From Ponce, a Puerto Rican singing group from the1960 s whose popularity soared through their many television and live appearances at home and abroad.After three years performing with such legendary producers as
Luis Vigoreaux ,Tommy Muniz andPaquito Cordero , the group disbanded but three of its members went on as soloists: the late singer and laterphotographer , "Jose Manuel", the well-known Puerto Rican female vocalistEdnita Nazario , and Sabath himself.Sabath had a very successful career as a headliner with numerous TV appearances and the release of two hit-songs: "Se Te Hizo Tarde" (You're Late), and "Cuando Me Pidas Perdon" (When You Ask For Forgiveness). He decided to move to the
United States and made his American debut in 1985, performing at the behest of his friend Ernesto Tarre for the Hispanic-American Queen of theFlowers Pageant inMilwaukee, Wisconsin . Surrounded by hisbodyguard s and other security staff members, he performed riveting musical interpretations. The audience's response, with over twelve hundred people, spoke for itself. They knew he was more than a singer: he was a Performer.His demure style, so suave and romantic, made him a sensation, enormously popular with
Chicago television audiences. In 1986, he founded The Milwaukee Sound: a consortium of selected local musicians, some of them from theWisconsin Conservatory of Music and including the well-known musician and conductor,Carol Klose .Sabath headlined at Fiesta Mexicana in 1986 with
Johnny Rodriguez and in 1987 withFreddy Fender . Now nicknamed Milwaukee'sFrank Sinatra , Sabath also appeared at the Rainbow Summer festival sponsored by the "Milwaukee Journal " and held at the Performing Arts Center.In 1988, he was working in his first record release in the U.S. and had made his acting debut in Stud Terkel's musical Working --playing the character of Emilio Hernandez-- when his father died. Overcome by grief, it took Sabath two years before he could return to the entertainment world.
In 1991, he was profiled for an article about his career and comeback in the Milwaukee Sentinel but tragedy struck again: his mother, who resided in
Milwaukee at the time, also died unexpectedly. It took him another fifteenyears before he accepted an invitation to perform at a concert. He performed accompanied by a hand-picked orchestra under the direction of Sergio "Veneno" Poventud at Milwaukee's United Community Center for Latino Arts.On 2004 he headlined at Fiesta Boricua along with Alex D'Castro and Wichy Camacho. He returned to Fiesta Boricua on 2005, headlining this time along with La India.
In 2006, he became the top
Latino Artist in the area, after headlining withOlga Tañon at Fiesta Boricua with a steller appearance that earned him the praise and admiration of Milwaukee's artistic community.In 2007 Frankie Sabath headlined once again at Fiesta Boricua along side
Gilberto Santa Rosa . After this performance, Frankie Sabath join forces withChristine Almeida in a duo that inmediately attracted the attention of the community.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.