Growing up in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, Frannie Golde found a home away from home in a rented studio at Chess Records. There, her teachers were the label’s artists, producers and songwriters who took her under wing. From that foundation, Golde went on to enjoy a musical career, not only of her own recordings, but on songwriting credits for other artists that have achieved a combined sales total of over 100 million records worldwide!
After graduating from Sullivan High School, her first band Frannie and Zoey generated popularity locally, and enough interest that she was signed to Big Tree Records, releasing the single “Save Me (I’m Falling in Love)” https://youtu.be/dhEZ-xS_1oc b/w “Stop (And Look Around)” https://youtu.be/KP15M1czgw0. When Big Tree was absorbed by Atlantic Records, her debut self-titled album appeared there. With her contract satisfied, she next moved to Portrait, which was part of the Columbia/Epic family. While she enjoyed the opportunity to record her own music, it was her songwriting talents that would take her to the next level.
In the early ‘80s she began teaming with renowned songwriter Carol Bayer Sager, who then introduced her to producer Richard Perry. Impressed with her work, Perry convinced Golde to move to Los Angeles and signed her to his Braintree Music publishing. Almost immediately, Diana Ross picked up one of her songs “Getting’ Ready for Love” and turned it into an international hit.
That was just the beginning. Golde would go on to pen music for soundtracks including Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, the biopic Selena and the Grammy Award winning The Bodyguard. She wrote material for television programs such as “Miami Vice” and “Touched by an Angel.” She was involved, getting production credits on the films Club Paradise, Modern Girls and Jessica Simpson’s work on In This Skin.
Her “El Beso Del Final” for Christina Aguilera was party of the Grammy Award winning Latin CD Mi Reflejo. “Stickwitu” recorded by the Pussycat Dolls got a 2007 Grammy nod for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. And “Even My Heart Would Break” from the soundtrack to The Bodyguard was also incuded on the Kenny G album Breathless, making it one of the only songs in chart history to ever appear on a #1 and #2 album.
The list of artists who have recorded Golde material is endless – Kiki Dee, Deniece Williams, Pat Benatar, Toni Basil, Whitney Houston, the Commodores, Miami Sound Machine, Average White Band, Roberta Flack, Cher, Peter Cetera, et al.
“I started out as a songwriter and was lucky enough to have a very successful career, winning many awards and writing songs for everyone from Whitney Houston, Jody Watley, Selena, Diana Ross to Heart, Pat Benatar and the Commodores,” recalled Golde in an interview in Shout Out LA magazine.
But that didn’t mean life was completely rosy. As she tells the story, “By 2011, the music business was hitting new lows and even successful songwriters were going broke. No one knew what the future held. My husband, a record producer, was having a difficult time finding projects as well. He wasn’t prone to depression, but he seemed anxious, forgetful, and sometimes confused, although he always had an explanation for everything. I attributed it all to the radical change in the music business and the attendant financial stress. By late 2012 I knew something was seriously wrong with my husband. I never expected to hear what would take months to find out. In his mid-fifties, Paul was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease.”
She quickly realized she was going to have to step up and take care of the family. “I knew I could no longer make a living writing music and it was hard to imagine doing anything else. It had been my life for over 35 years. Yet I had to take care of my family. My only option was to sell my songs, the one thing that was all mine and that I’d worked so hard to nurture and protect. It was one the hardest things I’ve ever done. The sale brought some cash, but I needed to get back to work.”
As it turned out, she had already begun designing and selling clothes as a glorified hobby after she had created a mini boutique as a favor for her son’s school at their annual fundraiser and people started wanting her wardrobe designs.
In 2016, she formally launched a clothing line, frannegolde.com, a full-line collection of clothing spearheaded by the best-selling Magic Pants.
The music world misses the music of Frannie Golde, although she still does do some writing. We’re glad she has continued her business success. And that she made her family the most important part of her life.
Discography
SINGLES
1976 Save Me (I’m Falling in Love Again) b/w Stop (And Look Around) (Big Tree 16058)
“Stop” https://youtu.be/KP15M1czgw0
1979 I’m Hypnotized b/w Time Has a Way (And It’s Getting Better) (Atlantic 45-3386)
1979 Here I Go Fallin’ in Love Again b/w Tell Me What’s Goin’ On (Portrait 70031)
“Here I Go Fallin’ in Love Again” https://youtu.be/3wXq-l9EqUo
1979 Lovin’ You (Is a Way of Life) b/w Isn’t It Something (Portrait 70034)
1980 Natives are Restless b/w Survivor (Portrait 70043)
ALBUMS
1976 Frannie Golde (Atlantic 18196)
“All You Need is Love” https://youtu.be/7uveykf8aGc
1979 Frannie (Portrait 36048)
“Wish Upon a Star” https://youtu.be/3wXq-l9EqUo
1980 Restless (Portrait 36594)