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
Performed and arranged by Champaign: Michael Day, Paulie Carman, Rena Jones, Leon Reeder, Rocky Maffit, Dana Walden. Recorded and Mixed May - August 1982 at Creative Audio, Urbana, Illinois, and the George Massenburg Studios, West Los Angeles, California. Production and sound by George Massenberg and Champaign in association with B-Line Productions.
Copyright 1983 by CBS Inc.
Special Version from The Columbia LP "Woman in Flames." Produced, written, arranged and performed by Champaign.
Copyright 1984 by CBS Inc.
Performers: Paulie Carman, Rena Jones, Leon Reeder, Rocky Maffit, Michael Day, Dana Walden. Produced, written, arranged, and performed by Champaign. Produced in association with B-Line Productions.
Copyright 1984 by CBS Inc.
Performers: L.V. Hammond (fender bass), Gary Brewer (drums), Duke Tumatoe (guitars, lead vocals and percussion), Jim Hill (keyboards and vocals), Louis "Doc" LeCouris (harmonica, chromonica, vocals and persussion).
Producer: D. Tumatoe. Engineer: Roger Francisco. Product of Silver Dollar Recording Studio, Urbana, Illinois.
Copyright 1976 by Trouserworm Tunes.
Performers: L.V. Hammond (bass, vocal), J.M. Hill (piano, organ, vocal), R. Steele (drums, congas, percussion), D. Tumatoe (vocal, guitar), R. Dewar (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet), D. Tidabeck (trombone), J. Sexton (trombone), M. Curry (trumpet), V. Davis (vocal), The Celebration Company (vocal).
Engineer: Roger Francisco. Recorded at A-Square Studio, Urbana, Illinois.
Copyright 1982 by Trouserworm Tunes.
Performers: Kristin Lems (piano, electric 12 string), Lynn Keller (bass, flute, background vocals), Tim Vear (electric guitar, vocal), Cherry Wolfarth (drums, triangle), Audrey Hendrickson (drums), Donny Markham (pedal steel guitar), Dana Walden (Ming Mong synthesizer, Arp Omni synthesizer), Zanita Zacks (background vocals), Annie Dinnerman (background vocal), Harvey Treat (background vocal), Ann Ricker (background vocal), Cynthis Smith (background vocals), Ceceilia Haasis (background vocals), the Alabama Rascals (banjo, bass sax. trombone, cornet, soprano sax, slide whistle kazoo).
Producer: Kristin Lems. Mixdown Engineer: Roger Francisco. Recorded at Silver Dollar Studio, Urbana, Illinois.
Copyright 1978 by Carolsdatter Production, Urbana, Illinois.
Performers: Kyle Lambert (lead vocals; B.J. Lambert on "Because He Lives"); Chip Tucker, Sammie Hancox, Gwendolyn Lentz, Kyle Lambert, Mavis Sermons, Judy Walker, Debbie LeBlanc (backup vocals); Roger Lentz (keyboards); Gordy Wilson (synthesizer patches); Dan Leonhardt, Hadley Hockensmith (guitars); Jim Lacefield, Hadley Hockensmith (electric bass); Keith Edwards, Steve Wiley, Tom McGuire (drums & percussion); Glenn Eichler (oboe); Hermenio Diaz, Barry Kelsey (flute); Art Davis, Ray Sasaki, Mrk Curry (trumpets); John Sexton (bass trombone); Tom Holden, Dave Barford (French horn); Denise Grupp (harp); Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Uniiversity of Illinois School of Music (strings).
Engineers: Gary Duggan, Roger Francisco.
Studios: Benson Sound, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Silver Dollar Studio, Urbana, Illinois.
Performers: John Hoel (piano, vocal0; Steve Allen (pogo-cello, vocal).
Engineer: Roger Francisco. Studio: Silver Dollar Recording Studios, Champaign, Illinois.
Composer and arranger: Oscar Sulley.
Performers: Kathy Tessin, Oscar Sulley (flute); Carlyle Johnson (clarinet & bass clarinet); John O'Connor (flugelhorn & cornet); Homer Schmitt, Virginia Farmer, Bettye Krolick, Donald Miller (violins); Donald Miller (viola); William French (piano); James Cox (electric bass & string bass); Avery Sharrow (percussion); Sheila Ponteau, Anita Hankinson, Joanne Holey, Oscar Sulley (vocals).
Recording engineer: Roger Francisco.
Produced by Delta Custom Records, Chicago, Illinois.
Performers: Bill Studzinski (guitars & vocals); Paul Reynolds (guitars, mandolin & vocals); T.K. Wayland (drums & vocals); Tom Durso (bass).
Engineers: Roger Francisco, Harvey Treat. Produced by Poker Flatts. Recorded at Silver Dollar Studios, Champaign, Illinois.
Copyright 1977 by Stacked Deck Records, Colchester, Illinois.
Performers: Peter Lippincott, Dan Fogelberg, Sue Hynds, Lee Buch, Elliott Delman, Leigh Carter, Peter Swinnerton Gary Levinson, Kathi Bennett, Nancy Fetters, Fred Rubin, The Morrow Plots (Fred Rubin, Claudia Grey, Bob Whalen, Roger Taylor).
Recorded at the Red Herring Coffee House, Urbana, Illinois by RoFran Enterprises, Urbana, Illinois. .Produced by Peter Berkow.
Performers: Steve Melshenker, Larry Basil, Steve Cowan, Judy Spratlin, Nancy Spratlin, Dan Fogelberg, Nancy Fetters, Pete Swinnerton, Steve Reinwand, Mark Hamby, Les Urban, Pete Lippincott, Pete Berkow, Kathi Bennett, Bill Taylor, Louie Kotva.
Engineer: Roger Francisco. Producer: Steve Cowan. Recorded by RoFran Enterprises, Urbana, Illinois.
Performers:Barrow Davidian (guitar, vocal), Les Urban (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals), Fuzzy (bass), Linn Brown (piano, oboe, recorder, vocal), Steve Reinwand (guitar, bass, vocal), Steve Cowan (guitar, vocal), Todd Bradshaw (bass), Russ Mason (piano, vocal), Steve Crowe (guitar), Steve Brandyck (guitar, vocal), S. Nelson (piano), Mark Hamby (piano, vocal), John Elder (guitar, vocal), Pete Berkow (guitar, vocal), Steve Melshenker (guitar, vocal), Goddard Graves (guitar, vocal), Thom Bishop (guitar vocal), Thom Bishop (guitar, vocal), Fred Rubin (guitar), Judy Spratlin (piano, vocal).
Producers: Les Urban, Michael R. Delisle. Recording engineer: Pete Berkow. Mixing engineer: Roger Francisco. Recording by RoFran Studios, Urbana, Illinois.
Performers: Steve Reinwand (guitar, bass, vocal), Mark Hamby (piano, vocal), John Elder (guitar, vocal), Les Urban (guitar, vocal), Goddard Graves (vocal), Linn Brown (piano, oboe, vocal), Steve Melshenker (guitar, vocal), Todd Bradshaw (bass), Pete Berkow (guitar, vocal), Jim Bobi Suthi (harp), Steve Cowan (guitar, vocal), Russ Mason (guitar, vocal), Steve Crowe (guitar, vocal), Steve Brandyck (guitar, vocal), Thom Bishop (guitar, vocal), Fred Rubin (guitar), Barry Dividian (guitar, vocal), Fuzzy (bass).
Producers: Les Urban, Michael R. Delisle. Recording engineer: Pete Berkow. Remix engineer: Roger Francisco. Recording by RoFran Sudio, Champaign, Illinois.
Performers: Les Urban, Pete Swinnerton, Steve Reinwand, Mark Hamby, Lou Kotva, Larry Basil, Peter Berkow, Kathy Bennet, Pete Lippincott, Elliott Delhan, Steve Cowan, Judy Spratlin, Nancy Fetters, Steve Helshenker, Dan Fogelberg.
Engineer: Peter Berkow. Recorded by Roger Francisco, RoFran Enterprises, Champaign, Illinois.
Performers: Steve Melshenker (6-string guitar, vocals), Steve Cowan (12-string guitar, vocals), Steve Reinwand (lead guitar, dobro, mouth harp, vocals), Mark Hamby (piano, flute, vocals), Todd Bradshaw (4- & 8- string bass0, Tim Scott (cello).
Producer: Gary Usher. Engineers: Roger Francisco, Richie Moore. Copyright 1971 by RoFran Publishng, Champaign, Illinois. Copyright 1972 by Elektra Records, New York, NY.
Performers: Al Ierardi (guiter, vocal), Roger Francisco (bass, vocal), Frank Garvey (percussion), James Cuomo (organ soprano saxaphone, recorder, bass clarinet, keyboards, winds, dobro), James Strand (all live sound manipulation, lights, trombone), Anne Williams (voice, guitar, organ), Paul Chouinard (viola), Rob Witmer (bass), Charlie Braugham (drums).
Producer: James Cuomo. Recorded in Urbana, Illinois, June - October 1969. All material copyright 1968 by RoFran Publishing Co., Champaign, Illinois.
Performers: Dana Walden (keyboards), Rocky Maffit (percussion, background vocal), Billy Panda (lead and steel guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, guitarrin); Ron Dewar (tenor and soprano saxaphones), Michael Reed (Fender bass), Jeff Klaven (drums), Paulie Carman (vocals), Rena Jones (vocals), Leon Reeder (vocal, Ovation guitar), Thom Bishop and Junior Burke (Ovation guitar, accoustic guitar, vocal), Performers also: James Barton (acoustic guitars), Ed Tossing (keyboards), Junior Burke (high-strung guitar), Joe Dolister (bass), Paul Redmann (drums), Bruce Gaitsch (electric guitar), Ray Sasaki (trumpet).
Producers: Dana Walden, Rocky Maffit. Engineers: Roger Francisco, Michael Day. Copyright 1981 by Stuff Records, Urbana, Ilinois.
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