Michael T. Franklin

Michael T. Franklin (born April 16, 1952) is an American musician and record producer.

Biography Early career Michael Thomas Franklin was born in Buffalo, New York, United States. As a producer, keyboard player and vocalist, he began his career performing in a local Buffalo band called the Movement. The group had a regional hit in 1966 with "Left Silently". In 1969 his family relocated to Chesterton, Indiana, where he performed with several local groups, including GUM, Polyphemus and Rafter After.

In 1974 Franklin started his first recording studio Futuresound, in Beverly Shores, Indiana, where he would record and produce Danny & the Juniors, Eldee Young, Lou Christie, and the Drifters, among others, leading to a 1982 Grammy nomination for best recording of Reggae Tribute, Warner/Electra/Asylum, on location in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

In 1984 he recorded his first solo jazz CD, Jazz Vein. The album featured his brother Tim Franklin on bass, Barry Sperti on sax, and Paul Parker on drums. It also featured Chuck Leavell on keys and Laudir de Oliveira on percussion. Later that year, Franklin formed the original music group Lost Weekend which had regional success and recorded a self-titled album. Lost Weekend became Rockin Robin, a backup band that accompanied national acts around the country.

Wolfman Jack That same year, in 1984, Franklin met Wolfman Jack and became his bandleader, touring around the country.

In 1986 Franklin relocated to Orlando, Florida, to become music director of Little Darlin's Rock n’ Roll Palace. He planned to pay back his friend Wolfman for his years of support by convincing producers to use Wolfman as the host of a new television show, Rock and Roll Palace TV Shows. The show was filmed at Little Darlin's, and in Nashville and Baltimore. Franklin negotiated to change the club name to "Wolfman Jack's Rock and Roll Palace".

He music directed over 180 TV shows, most with Wolfman Jack as the host.

Studio work In the 1980s, Franklin did session work for the Staple Singers, Middle of the Road, Shut up and Drive and others. He also composed music for Michael Jay and Signature soundtrack libraries.

In the nineties he began producing music for cartoons such as Felix the Cat and Hello Kitty. Working from his own studio, he produced CDs for Tommy Roe, Gloria Gaynor, Spencer Davis, Edgar Winter, Toto's Bobby Kimball and others.

In 1992 he traveled to the Isle of Man to produce Classic Tracks for Rick Wakeman of Yes. While mixing in Philadelphia he recorded with Puck and Nat on the Beverly Hills, 90210 soundtrack.

In January 1992 he and the band performed with Bruce Hornsby at the Super Bowl.

In September 1992 he joined the Crickets for the opening of the musical Buddy, with Paul McCartney.

In 1993 he produced Windows of Time for his friend Patrick Moraz.

Hard Rock After Wolfman's death in 1995, Franklin became music director of Hard Rock Live in Orlando from 1998 to 2001, performing with classic artists as band leader. Franklin performed alongside Joe Walsh, Bruce Hornsby, Leslie West, Edgar Winter, Melanie Safka, Don Mclean, Rick Derringer, Bobby Kimball and others.

He would also appear on events as keyboard player for Chuck Berry's 70 and 75 birthday dates.

Japan, China and Inventions Starting in 1992, with Rockin Robin, Franklin traveled to Japan several times. In 1998, he composed music for Felix the Cat's Musical Adventure, with Hello Kitty, for Felix the Cat productions. Beginning in 2001, Franklin produced music in China, working with some of the biggest Chinese stars, such as Andy Hui, Lang Lang, A-Mei and others.

He began spending the majority of the year in China, where he began working on entertainment productions and his own electronics design business. After visiting China several times he saw an opportunity to bring an American-style carnival to the mainland. After months of meetings and working with numerous potential stakeholders American International Carnival was born. The first large scale American carnival company to play to millions of people in Tianjin, Nanning, Taiyuan and Shenyang.

Franklin invented the Volt, a solar charger for iPhone and then iPad, and worked with Optimum Solar to develop "The Plug and Play", a totally self-contained solar power plant, both products selling globally.

Return to the States Franklin continues to produce from Beijing and Orlando. In 2014, he returned to the United States to resume his music full-time. He opened Solar Studios and started the Solar Music label, where has produced many project for the label. Pat Travers, Randi Paul, Little Anthony, Terry Sylvester of the Hollies, Heather Rice, Fei Peng, Mike Pinera, Blues Image, Larry Coryell and most recently Jon Anderson of Yes and Robby Steinhardt, the original violinist and vocalist of the band Kansas.

Jon Anderson "1000 Hands Chapter One" Franklin recorded arrangements for Jon Anderson of Yes in 1996, though songwriter, Brian Chatton, however the project went dormant for many years. In July 2015, Franklin traveled to California to perform at the Bakersfield Music Festival with Iron Butterfly. Franklin used some of the original music and transformed that with his orchestration and use on many appearances by artists he believe would make it work. Chick Corea, Ian Anderson, Billy Cobham, Tower of Power, Jean Luc Ponty, Larry Coryell, and many other. This limited release led to highly acclaimed 2019 tour "Jon Anderson 1000 Hands Chapter 1". The album project was released worldwide by Blue Elan Records, July 31, 2020. Chapter 2 featuring many other artists and new songs set for 2027.

Robbt Steinhardt "Not in Kansas Anymore" Franklin's friendship with the violinist Robby Steinhardt, former of Kansas began during the recording of Jon Anderson 1000 Hands Chapter One. Robby performed on "Activate" and one of Michael's songs featuring Mahavishnu Drummer Billy Cobham. This started a year long collaboration with Steinhardt and Michael's bassist brother Tim Franklin, to write songs for an album. As with 1000 Hands, Franklin invited many great artist to perform on "Not in Kansas Anymore". Ian Anderson, Steve Morse, Rayford Griffin,Pat Travers, Lisa Fischer, Chuck Leavell, Billy Ashbaugh, Liberty Devitto and others.The Song "Truth to Power", was nominated by Prog Magazine as Song of the Year. Shortly after the release a tour was in the works. Unfortunately, Robby became ill and passed before that could become a reality.

Discography Artist Title Year The Movement Left Silently 1968 Michael Franklin Future Star 1972 Michael Franklin Old House 1974 Michael Franklin Beverly Shores Massacre & other Love Songs 1978 Franklin Brothers Xmas Treeo 1981 Northern Indiana Choir Northern Indiana Choir 1982 Michael Franklin Rivers of The World 1982 Angie Fradocus Angie Fradocus 1982 Various Artists Reggae Tribute 1982 Ellen Dolak Morning Light 1983 Ellen Dolak Jumpin Up and Down for You 1984 Ron Buffington The Harmony is Missing 1985 Michael Franklin Jazz Vein 1984 Lost Weekend Lost Weekend 1984 Michael Franklin State of the Art Christmas 1985 Tim Franklin Honorable Quest 1986 Various Artists Legends of Rock and Roll 1987 Various Artists Rock and Roll Palace 1989 Various Artists Rock and Roll Christmas 1990 Rick Wakeman Classic Tracks 1992 Various Artists Beverly Hills 91210 1992 Melanie Safka Freedom Knows My Name 1993 Melanie Safka Silence Is King 1993 Patrick Moraz Windows of Time 1994 Timmy Flaherty Dream of Erin 1994 Rockin Robin Reruns 1994 Pat Travers Half Way to Somewhere 1995 Melanie Safka Beautiful People 1995 Carl Gardner One Cool Cat 1996 Big Bopper Junior Legacy of the Big Bopper 1997 Pat Travers Blues Tracks 2 1998 Jon Anderson Uzlot (unreleased) 1998 Margarita Medina Margarita 1998 Melanie Safka Ruby Tuesday 2000 Various Artists Black Cat Blues 2000 Rockin Robin Live on the Radio 2001 Melanie Safka Beautiful People 2001 Melanie Safka Summer of Love 2003 Tommy Roe Salute 2003 Melanie Safka Shine On 2003 Kristie Deluca Analyze 2004 Melanie Safka Moments From My Life 2004 Melanie Safka Dust In The Wind 2004 Avo Uveszian Legacy 2004 Doctor Hook Hookah 2005 Karyn Uvezian Karyn 2005 Spencer Davis Spencer Davis 2006 Gary Puckett Gary Puckett's Greatest Hits 2007 Gloria Gaynor Christmas Presence 2008 Don Orilio When You Gotta Go 2012 Jon Anderson 1000 Hands Chapter One 2019 Randi Paul Insight 2020 Michael and Tim Franklin Virtual Smorgasborg to be released 2022 Michael and Tim Franklin Anahata to be released 2022 Michael Franklin Forgotten Secrets in progress Tim Franklin Wow in progress Robby Steinhart Not in Kansas Anymore 10/25/2021 Michael Winslow TBA in progress Jon Anderson 1000 Hands Chapter 2 in progress Kristie Deluca Voices in My Head 01/2022 Blues Image Next Voyage scheduled release 2022 Fei Peng Curious scheduled release 2022 Abigail Hunang Chick Corea's Children's Songs scheduled release 2022 Tommy Roe From Here to Here 2023 Brian Hyland Sealed with a Kiss 60th Aniversay (single) 2023 Heather Rice Fingers 2025 Michael and Timothy Franklin Anahata 2025