Frankie J

Artist Image: Frankie J
Attribution
Image Credit: Philkon Phil Konstantin (Own work), Public domain

Biography

Frankie J (born December 14, 1980) is a Mexican American pop singer. He has had several hits in the US, including “Don’t Wanna Try” in 2003 and “Obsession” in 2005. His album The One debuted at #3 on the Billboard album charts in April 2005. Early career He was born Francisco Javier Bautista (a.k.a. Frankie J.) in Tijuana and raised in San Diego from the age of 2. He comes from a musical background with his father being the lead singer of a traditional band. Frankie J grew up listening to both traditional Latin music as well as R&B. He attended Southwest High School (San Diego, CA) for his high school years. As a teenager, he started listening to freestyle music by Lisa Lisa, Brenda K. Starr and George Lamond. He started writing his own songs and singing in the same falsetto style as Lamond. At 15, he signed a contract with a Canadian independent label working as Frankie Boy and recorded songs which failed to achieve any success. In 1997, he signed with Jellybean Benitez. In the late 1990s, he joined Kumbia Kings and was a member of that successful Latin group touring throughout Latin America. The group played in front of 100,000 people in a concert in Monterrey, Mexico. Frankie’s ambitions were always directed to the American pop-music markets. In 2002 He approached Los Kumbia Kings mangement in an attempt to secure record deal as a solo-artist. He proposed that they record, promote, and market him to the “MTV” market. A vastly diffent music culture then what Los Kumbia Kings made their name in, but Management declined, citing the risky investment. Frankie then shopped demos to an array of record companies, and garnered a tremendous amount of interest, but his contract with The Kumbia Kings would prove to be a problem.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1975
Number of Albums 76
Record Label
Website
Wikipedia Frankie J on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What band did he join before reembarking on a solo career?

Kumbia Kings

..., is a MexicanAmerican singer and former member of the musical group Kumbia Kings . Born in Mexico, he grew up in San Diego and became a freestyle arti...
When was his solo debut album, What's a Man to Do released?

2003

...areer. Frankie J's solo debut album, What's a Man to Do, was released in 2003 , followed by more English and Spanish language albums. He received a Gra...
What year did Bautista receive a Grammy nomination for his album Faith, Hope y Amor?

2013

...e received a Grammy Award nomination for his album Faith, Hope y Amor in 2013 for Best Latin Pop Album. Early life edit Bautista was born in Tijuana, ...
Where was Bautoista born?

Tijuana, Mexico

...2013 for Best Latin Pop Album. Early life edit Bautista was born in Tijuana, Mexico , and raised in San Diego, California, from the age of two, after h...
At what age began he participate in talent shows?

high school age

... more interest in singing, with the encouragement of his family. At high school age , he began participating in talent shows and performing at school f...
When was Bautista's first taste of the music business?

1993

...nctions. Career edit Bautista's first taste of the music business was in 1993 , when he was briefly signed to Canadian independent record label Ventura...
What label did he briefly sign to in 1993?

Ventura International Records

...n he was briefly signed to Canadian independent record label Ventura International Records , featuring on a song called Margarita by Turkish artist Ati...
In what year did Bautista sign with the nowdefunct Hola Recordings?

1997

...cords, featuring on a song called Margarita by Turkish artist Atilla. In 1997 , Bautista signed with the nowdefunct Hola Recordings which at the time h...
Who is the brainchild of Jellybean Benitez?

Hola Recordings

...Turkish artist Atilla. In 1997, Bautista signed with the nowdefunct Hola Recordings which at the time had only one artist signed to the label, the bra...
When did Frankie and his family move to San Diego, California?

when he was 2

...Biography Frankie and his family moved to San Diego, California, when he was 2 . Both his grandfather and father were musical and as a young child Fran...
What language was Franke's first language?

Spanish

...young child Frankie loved to sing and would often entertain his family. Spanish was Frankie's first language and the first music he was exposed to was...
Where did Franke move to when he was 2?

San Diego, California

...Biography Frankie and his family moved to San Diego, California , when he was 2. Both his grandfather and father were musical and as a young child Fran...
How old was Frankie when he was signed as a Latin Freestyle artist?

15

...him to pursue music seriously. So seriously that, by the time Frankie was 15 , he was signed as a Latin Freestyle artist by a small dance music label i...
What is Frankie J's nationality?

Mexican

...Frankie J (born December 14, 1980) is a Mexican American pop singer. His album The One debuted at 3 on the Billboard album charts in April 2005. He co...
When did Frankej's album The One debut on the Billboard album charts?

3

...r 14, 1980) is a Mexican American pop singer. His album The One debuted at 3 on the Billboard album charts in April 2005. He comes from a musical back...
In what school did he attend?

Southwest High School

... father being the lead singer of a traditional band. He attended Southwest High School (San Diego, CA) for his high school years. He started writing h...
How many people attended a concert in Monterrey?

100,000

...in group touring throughout Latin America. The group played in front of 100,000 people in a concert in Monterrey, Mexico. Frankie's ambitions were alw...
In what year did he approach Los Kumbia Kings to secure a record deal?

2002

...ie's ambitions were always directed to the American popmusic markets. In 2002 He approached Los Kumbia Kings mangement in an attempt to secure record ...
What type of style of singing does Lamond use?

falsetto

...school years. He started writing his own songs and singing in the same falsetto style as Lamond. At 15, he signed a contract with a Canadian independe...
Who inspired Frankie to become a famous singer?

his grandfather

...ackground. His father was the lead singer of a traditional band and his grandfather , who also inspired him to become a famous singer, was a violinist....
What instrument did Franke's grandfather play?

violin

...his grandfather, who also inspired him to become a famous singer, was a violin ist. By becoming a famous R&B singer, Frankie proved that all Bautista m...