Holdings Fine Arts and Applied Arts University Bands Roger Francisco Sound Recor... Finding Aid Holdings Fine Arts and Applied Arts University Bands Roger Francisco Sound Recor... Finding Aid By Nolan Vallier
Title: Roger Francisco Sound Recordings, 1969-1986
ID: 12/9/152
Primary Creator: Francisco, Roger
Extent: 1.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: Organized in two series: Series 1, Roger Francisco Production and Performance Recordings, 1968-1985 and Series 2, Urbana-Champaign Recordings, 1971-1986. The recordings are arranged alphabetically by band name or production.
Date Acquired: 07/19/2016
Subjects: Audio-Visual Material, Folk music, Music - United States, Rock Music
Languages: English
Consists of commercially produced disc and original reel-to-reel audio recordings documenting Roger Francisco's work as a record producer between 1968 and 1986. The recordings of local Urbana-Champaign, Illinois bands include the Elvis Brothers, Duke Tumatoe, All Star Frogs, Combo Audio, and Champaign. In addition there recordings of the Red Herring Folk Festival and the Kidstuff Records production of "Alice in Wonderland."
Roger Francisco was born in Decatur, Illinois in 1938. While growing up in Springfield, Illinois, Francisco developed a love for music, playing bass in his high school orchestra. After moving to Urbana in 1956, he began persuing a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois. Shortly after this, he worked as an environmental testing technician at Magnavox, where he stress-tested missle components and explosive fuses. Eventually, he transfered to the publications department, where he wrote and edited technical manuals.
On a part-time basis, Francisco performed bass with several local bands as well as the music program "Jazz You Like It" that gave concerts at the University's student union. In 1963, Francisco began working with a roadhouse band, teaching guitar lessons, and producing records at Monument Studios. He soon joined The Galaxies, a local band, on bass. Around 1964, he moved back to Urbana and formed RoFran Enterprises, the home studio where he recorded radio and television commercials as well as records for local bands and ensembles including: The One Eyed Jacks, The Finchley Boys, The Lindsey Triplets, and Marvin Lee. By 1968, RoFran Enterprises began attracting jazz and experimental ensembles including The University of Illinois Jazz Ensemble and Howie Smith. Smith and Francisco also worked together as band mates in The Prodigies, which eventually changed its name to Sound Studio One. In the late 1960s, Francisco also performed within the groups The Expressions and The Spoils of War.
By 1970, Francisco had recorded groups like REO Speedwagon, Dan Fogelberg, Head East, Starcastle, and US Senator Al Franken. His business began to include talent management and music publishing. In the early 1970s, Francisco also became the co-manager for the folk ensemble The Ship. After selling RoFran studios to singer-songwriter John Denver in 1974, Francisco became the chief engineer at Creative Audio Studios. During this time he recorded the annual Red Herring Coffee House folk festival as well as groups like: The Elvis Brothers, Champaign, and Duke Tumatoe and the All-Star Frogs.
In the early 1980s, Francisco began working on the soundtrack for the CBS miniseries "Alice in Wonderland," whose album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1985. In the mid-1980s, he began working with the video production company Prairie Production Group, which produced video spots for Human Kinetics, a publisher of physical education books. One of the visual segments he created appears in the Acadamy Award-nominated documentary Cosmic Voyage from 1997, in which Francisco performed the voiceovers. This led to regular talent assignments for companies like Hamm's Beer, NAPA Auto Parts, Amoco, Allstate Insurance. He even made occasional on-screen appearances in films like Code of Silence, starring Chuck Norris. In 1994, Francisco earned the presitgious Zimmerman Award for lifetime achievement by the Ad Council of Champaign-Urbana. Francisco retired from Human Kinetics in November 2016 at the age of 78.
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source: Roger Francisco
Acquisition Method: Gift
Champaign Performers: Paulie Carman (lead vocals); Rena Jones (vocals); Howard Reeder (guitars, vocals); Michael Day (keyboards, guitars, vocals); Dana Walden (keyboards, synthesizers); Rocky Maffit (percussin, vocals); Michael Reed (bass); Morris Jennings, Jr. (drums; Paul Richmond (bass); Tommy Radke (Syndrums); Ken Soderblom (alte sax solo "How 'Bout Us").
Copyright 1981 by CBS Inc..
Performers: John Kellogg, Rick Neuhaus, Angus Thomas. Producers: Ian Taylor & Dana Walden. Engineered and mixed at Pierce Arrow Recorders, Evanston, Illinois and Synchro Sound Studios, Boston, Massachusetts.
Copyright 1983 by EMI America Records, a division of Capitol Records, Inc.
Performers: Corky Siegel (vocal, piano, harmonica), Al Porth (saxophone, penny whistle, flute), Bruce Gattsch (accoustic guitar, electric guitar), Alejo Poveda (percussion, drums, triangle), Howard Levy (marimba), Bill Dickens (bass), Regi Gillerson (bass), Jim Tullio (accoustic upright bass), Everett Zlatoff-Mirsky (violins, violas), Frank Donaldson (drums), Sheldon Ira Plotkin (drums), Vicki Hubly (background vocals), Tony Brown (background vocals), Chuck De Meyer (synthesized bass), Hank Neuberger (Chevrolet Coupe).
Producers: Corky Siegel and Marty Feldman. Recorded in Chicago by Steve Kusciel/Paragon Studios and Hank Neuberger/ CRC.
Copyright 1980 by Corky Siegel and 1981 Stuff Records, Urbana, Illinois.
Performers: Duke Tumatoe (guitars, lead vocals), L.V. Hammond (bass, vocals), James Hill (keyboard, vocals), Robin Steele (drums, percussion).
Producers: Greg Riker and the Band. Engineer: Greg Riker at Shade Tree Studios, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Performers: Rob Elvis (guitar, vocals), Graham Elvis (bass, vocals), Brad Elvis (drums).
Copyright 1983 by CBS Inc.
Performers: Rob Elvis (guitars, vocals), Graham Elvis (bass, vocals), Brad Elvis (drums). Producer: Adrian Belew. Mixed by George Tutko at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, California.
Copyright 1985 by CBS Inc.
Performers: Annie The Hat (vocals); Rick Mansfield (flute, alto flute, balalaika, alto recorder); Elliott Delman (guitar, vocals); Tobia Taylor (balalaika zither, soprano recorder, vocals); Sandy Spencer (cello, vocals); James Cuomo (domra, soprano recorder, vocals, balalaika).
Procucers: James Cuomo, Gilles Bleiveis.
Copyright: 1971, Sibecar, Paris.
Performers: Pauli Carman (lead vocals); Maxine, Julia & Oren Waters, Bobby Caldwell, Jason Scheff, Mendy Lee, Cindy Mizelle, Audrey Wheeler, Mic Murphy, Pauli Carman (background vocals); Jason Scheff, Tinker Barfield (bass); John Robinson (drums); Paul Jackson, Paul Pesco, Bruce Gaitsch (guitars); Ernie Watts (sax); David Frank, Michael Boddicker, Dana Walden, Barry Fasman (keyboards & synthesizers); Maestro Fasman (string conductor).
Engineer: John Arrias, Jorge Esteban. Producers: Dana Walden & Barry Fasman. Recorded at: Unique Recording Studios, New York; Cherokee Recording Studios, Los Angeles; Foz Sound, Los Angeles.
Copyright 1986 by CBS Inc., New York, NY.
Performers: RACE. Produced by MODA. Engineer: Carroll James. Recorded at The Studio, Urbana, Illinois.
Copyright 1983 by Ocean Front Records, Marina del Ray, California.
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