Frankie Ford, who sang ‘Sea Cruise,’ dies at age 76

Legendary New Orleans musician Frankie Ford has died at the age of 76.

The Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office says Ford died Monday of natural causes. Mike Shepherd from the Louisiana music Hall of Fame says Ford had been confined to his bed over the summer while fighting an illness.

His first single, consisting of the songs “Cheatin’ Woman” and “The Last One to Cry”, was released in 1958, but it was “Sea Cruise”, released the following year, that launched him into the spotlight, hitting No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Ford, real name Vincent Francis Guzzo, had been ill since a auto accident several years ago, which left him unable to walk.

Ford’s other songs included You Talk Too Much, Alimony, Time After Time, Whiskey Heaven and Roberta.

In the late 50’s, a New Orleans Record producer, Joe Caronna, who was looking for singers that he could turn into teen idols came across Frankie singing in a local lounge. Check out “Sea Cruise” here.

“All the music was coming from New Orleans, yet people like Pat Boone were covering people like Little Richard and Fats Domino and getting hits”.

He said all three were auditioned in one day.

That record went gold selling over a million copies.

Ford’s last performance was at the 2013 Gretna Heritage Festival.