Frankie's World
Cowboy Mouth guitarist releasing solo, band singles; Texas-inspired album coming in May
Frank Grocholski, a Temple musician and music producer, has just released a solo single and has an album on the way. His band, Cowboy Mouth, also has two singles coming out this week. David Stone photo
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
It’s been a busy year so far for Temple resident and guitarist Frank Grocholski. A solo performer and axeman for the legendary New Orleans band Cowboy Mouth, Frankie G just released a solo single and a new album is on its way. Cowboy Mouth also has a pair of new singles coming out this week.
Frankie, the music director for the School of Rock in Baltimore for 15 years, has been playing with Cowboy Mouth for about seven years, including three years as a full-time guitarist. Not familiar with Cowboy Mouth? You actually probably are: Play Jenny Says on YouTube, and the memories likely will come back. The band has been around since 1990.
“My solo instrumental single Just Wait was released late last month, and I have an eight-song album coming out in May,” Frankie said Monday. “Just Wait is available now on Spotify, Apple Music and just about every other streaming music service out there.”
“I’ve wanted to do an all-instrumental album since I was 16,” the 40-year-old guitarist said. “But I’ve always prioritized other people’s music and shows, so I was kind of a hired gun for years. During COVID, I had nothing but time and I worked on my stuff. I wasn’t happy with it, so I restarted from scratch.”
The new album will consist of all-original music that leans heavy on Frankie’s Texas guitar influences.
“There’s some Stevie Ray Vaughan inspiration in the album, as well as some Eric Johnson and the great Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top,” he said. “I will be releasing a second single, I-35, in late April as a tease to the album’s release.”
The new album is being produced, performed, mixed and mastered at Frankie’s Temple music studio, Hideaway Recordings.
The album features two friends from Frankie’s Maryland days — he moved to Temple about two years ago. Sean Beale-Rosano play bass on the new EP and Steve Gilgallon keeps the beat on the drums.
“My next album is going to feature all Temple-area musicians,” he said. “There’s a lot of talent right here. It’s time we got the word out.”
In addition to being released on streaming services, a limited number of vinyl albums also will be available.
This week, Cowboy Mouth will release a pair of singles — Breakup Song and Second is Better Time.
“Breakup Song has a subtitle: it’s They Don’t Write ‘Em Like That Anymore,” Frankie said. “It’s an old Greg Kihn song but we play it with more attitude and energy. It’s true to the original, if the Sex Pistols or The Ramones played it.”
Second is Better Time is a new original song penned by Cowboy Mouth drummer and lead singer Fred LeBlanc.
“It’s a very positive song about taking a bad situation and making it better,” Frankie said. “It’s like feeling isolated and making the situation a better time.”
“Right now, Cowboy Mouth is living in a single-record world,” he said. “We will eventually release another album, but right now we’re focusing more on individual songs.”
To promote the new music, Cowboy Mouth is embarking on a massive tour — on the weekends.
“Several of the band members have families and kids, and they want to be a part of their lives,” Frankie said. “We pretty much limit our concerts to Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I like the schedule — it gives me time to work on my own projects.”
The tour will take Cowboy Mouth to Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and many other cities. The lone Texas performance will be at The Colony on March 30.
“We are going to play Hootie Fest in Cancun with Hootie & The Blowfish and the GooGoo Dolls. We also will play Jazz Fest in New Orleans.”
When not on the road with Cowboy Mouth, Frankie is busy performing and collaborating with Austin-based Deja Vibes and Temple’s Alexis McLaughlin.
“I’m wanting to do some duos and trios here in Temple,” he said. “I’ve been talking with Lilly Milford about doing a project. I love her songs and her singing is great.”
Frankie recently hired Daniel Haug to assist with managerial duties.
“Frankie has many irons in many fires — studio work, sessions with others — and it’s my job to make everything work,” Haug said. “It can get complicated.”
“This is more than a manager’s job,” he said. “It’s an investment, a partnership, and I’m going to help Frankie obtain his goals.”
Frankie G has been a musician for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve been playing guitar since I was 3,” he said with a smile. “I actually grew up in New Jersey, and Mom had a lot of friends who played in bands. They were always having jam sessions in our basement. That’s probably where my love for music began.”
“You’ve got to understand, this was the late 80s,” he continued, “so there was a lot of contrast in styles. Some of the guys wore lots of hairspray and were into the hair-band sound. Some of the others had long straggly hair. But they didn’t limit themselves to one style — they played everything from old Robert Johnson blues to Led Zeppelin-style rock.”
“If I learned one thing as a kid in that New Jersey basement, it’s this: It doesn’t matter what the style, just appreciate the music and have fun,” he said.
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