Fran Christina
Background information
Birth nameFrancis Anthony Christina
Born (1951-02-01) February 1, 1951
Westerly, Rhode Island, US
GenresBlues, blues rock, western swing, jump blues, R&B
OccupationsMusician, Producer, Printer
InstrumentsDrums, Vocals
Years active1963-present
LabelsChrysalis, Epic, Sony, Columbia
Formerly ofRoomful of Blues, The Fabulous Thunderbirds

Francis Anthony Christina (born February 1, 1951) is an American drummer known for his work in Texas blues band The Fabulous Thunderbirds (1979–97). He was also the founding drummer of Roomful of Blues (1967-1971).[1][2]

Early life

Christina as born in Westerly, Rhode Island. He is the third of seven children born to James Christina and Josephine Trebisacci in an Italian-American Catholic family. As a boy, he would sneak into the local Black Baptist church to listen to the music there. At the age of 10, he improvised as a drummer for his brother's garage band. At age 12, Christina was given his first real set of drums.[3] He taught himself music, then formed a band and began to perform at venues including a bowling alley lounge and a strip club.[1][2]

Career

Roomful of Blues

In 1967, Christina along with Duke Robillard, Al Copley and Larry Peduzzi formed a Blues band A Roomful of Blues.[4] The quartet eventually became an R&B/jump blues band.[4]

The Boogie Brothers

Following Roomful of Blues in 1971, Christina joined with his former associates, including guitarist/ vocalist Johnny Nicholas, harmonica Steve Nardella, and bass player Sarah Brown, and formed the Boogie Brothers in 1971, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Except for Sarah Brown, all the members were previously part of a group named Black Cat. They became the house band at The Blind Pig, where they were a backing/touring band for various blues artists, including Johnny Shines, Big Walter “Shakey” Horton, Boogie Woogie Red, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Billy Boy Arnold, and others.,[5] in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In 1971 and 1972, Christina and the Boogie Brothers performed at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival.[5][6]

The Rhythm Rockers, Vipers, and others

In 1972, Christina toured with Johnny Nicholas and Brown as the Rhythm Rockers, backing Big Walter Horton, and in the following year, he formed The Vipers. He then became a drummer for the multi-Grammy award-winning western swing band Asleep at the Wheel and later toured the US with Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Christina performed on two albums with the band Asleep at the Wheel. In 1983 Christina performed on Carlos Santana's Havana Moon album. In 1984 he recorded with Stevie Ray Vaughan on the multi-plainum album Couldn't Stand the Weather and in 1988 he performed with Bonnie Raitt on the Grammy Award-winning Nick of Time album.[7] He then toured the US with Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Christina was the drummer for the western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

In 1979, he officially became a member of an Austin Blues band The Fabulous Thunderbirds.[8][9][10][11] Other than Christina on drums, the band included Jimmie Vaughan on guitar, Kim Wilson on vocals and harmonica, and Keith Ferguson on bass. After joining the band full-time, Christina performed with the band's second release What's the Word for the Chrysalis label. He then performed on several albums with the band.[12][13]

The band's 1986 album Tuff Enuff[14] was commercially successful and was certified platinum. They were nominated for two Grammys in 1987. Several artists invited them to open shows including The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Tom Petty, The Doobie Brothers, The Who, REO Speedwagon, B.B. King, The Eurythmics, Bob Seeger and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Christina was a member of the band until he left in 1996. During his time with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, the band won the W. C. Handy Band of the Year award in 1986, was nominated for two Grammys in 1987, and their songs were selected as soundtracks for numerous movies.[15] and Christina departed in 1996.[16]

Post-Thunderbirds career Christina played with blues singer and pianist Marcia Ball and Doug Sahm’s Last Real Texas Blues Band before retiring from the road in 1999.[17] In 2021 - 22 Christina worked on a Matt Murphy tribute album project with his brother, fellow drummer Bobby Christina. Christina performed on the album and produced several cuts. Since 1995, Christina has been producing intaglio etchings for his wife, artist Julie Speed.[18]

In 2023 he performed on Al Staehely’s “Somewhere In West Texas”

Citations and awards

Year Nominee/Work Category Award Result
1981 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Best Blues/Soul Buddy Won
1981 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Band of the Year[19] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
1981 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Best Blues Band[20] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
1982 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Band of the Year[21] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
1982 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Best Blues Band[22] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
1982 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Hall of Fame[23] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
1986 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Band of the Year[24] W. C. Handy Won
1987 The Fabulous Thunderbirds "Down at Antones" Best Rock Instrumental[25] Grammy Nominated
1987 The Fabulous Thunderbirds "Tuff Enough" Best Rock Vocal[25] Grammy Nominated
1987 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Band of the Year[26] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
1990 The Fabulous Thunderbirds Band of the Decade[27] Austin Chronicle Music Awards Won
2012 Roomful of Blues Hall of Fame[28] Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Won

Discography

ALBUMS (** PLATINUM    *** MULTI-PLATINUM )
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Title Label Year
The Fabulous Thunderbirds What's the Word Chrysalis 1980
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Butt Rockin’ Chrysalis 1981
The Fabulous Thunderbirds T-Bird Rhythm Chrysalis 1982
The Fabulous Thunderbirds ** Tuff Enuff CBS/Sony 1986
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Hot Number Epic 1988
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Powerful Stuff Epic 1989
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Walk That Walk Epic 1991
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Roll of the Dice Private 1995
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Girls Go Wild Benchmark 2000
Band Member Title Label Year
Bobo Jenkins Just a Fool in Love Again Big Star 1972
Boogie Woogie Red Live at the Bling Pig Blind Pig 1973
Boogie Woogie Red Red Hot Blind Pig 1977
Johnny Shines, Big Walter Horton, The Boogie Brothers Ann Arbor Jazz & Blues Fest Atlantic 1977
Asleep at the Wheel Served Live Atlantic 1978
Asleep at the Wheel Framed Atlantic 1980
The Fabulous Thunderbirds King Biscuit KB Flour Hour 1987
Big Walter Horton Live at the El Mocambo Red Lightnin’ 1991
Big Walter Horton Ann  Arbor Jazz & Blues Fest #4 Sequel 1996
Marcia Ball Let Me Play With Your Poodle Rounder 1997
Al Copley Good Understanding Bullseye 1997
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Martin Scorcese Presents Hip-O 2003
Doug Sahm Live in Stockholm Dougalive1 2012
Guest Title Label Year
Carlos Santana Havana Moon Columbia 1983
Stevie Ray Vaughan *** Couldn’t Stand the Weather Epic 1984
Denny Freeman Blues Cruise Amazing 1986
Lou Ann Barton Read My Lips Antones 1987
Ron Levi Wild Kingdom Black Top 1987
Bonnie Raitt *** Nick of Time Capitol 1988
Dunn Packer Band Love Against the Wall Tramp Records 1990
Kim Wilson Tigerman Antone's 1993
WC Clark Heart of Gold Black Top 1994
Kim Wilson That's Life Antone's 1995
Sarah Brown Sayin’ What I'm Thinkin’ Antone's 1996
Pat Boyack & Prowlers Super Blue and Funky Bullseye 1997
The Radio Kings Money Road Bulls Eye 1998
Knickerbocker All-Stars Open Mike at the Knick JP Cadillac 2016
Lou Ann  Barton The Best Rockbeat 2016
SINGLES Title Label Year
The Vipers “Buzzard Luck”/Huron River Drive" Debut launch Blind Pig 1973
Asleep at the Wheel “Choo Choo Ch Boogie” Capitol 1979
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Sugar Coated Love” Chrysalis 1980
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White” Chrysalis 1981
Carlos Santana “Havana Moon” Columbia 1983
Junior Brown “Too Many Nights in the Roadhouse” Dynamic 1984
Denny Freeman “Out of Control” V8 1984
Sarah Brown “Four Hours Sleep” V-Eight 1985
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Wrap it Up” Sonet & CBS 1986
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Tuff Enough” Sonet 1986
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “How Do You Spell Love?” CBS 1986
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Why Get Up?” CBS 1987
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Stand Back” CBS 1987
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “The Crawl” Chrysalis 1987
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Powerful Stuff” Electra 1988
SELECT COMPILATIONS
Band Title Label Year
Jimmie Vaughan/T-Birds The Jimmie Vaughan  Story Last 2021
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Austin R&B Xmas Epic 1987
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Antone’s Anthology Vol. 2 Antone's 1991
The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Essential EMI Capitol 1991
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Hot Stuff: Greatest Hits Epic 1992
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Blues Masters Rhino 1992
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Wrap It Up Sony BMG 1993
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Butt Rockin’/T-Bird Rhythm Beat Goes ON 1996
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Different Tacos Country Town 1996
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Best of Fabulous Thunderbirds Chrysalis 1997
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Tuff Enuff/Powerful Stuff Sony Music 1999
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Gold & Platinum Hits ‘80s Realm Records 2001
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Tacos Deluxe Benchmark 2003
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Collection Disky 2004
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Tuff Enuff/Hot Number Acadia 2007
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Pure America Sony 2011
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Early Bird Special - The Best of the Fabulous Thunderbirds Benchmark 2011
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Pure Guitar Legends Sony 2012
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Powerful Stuff/Walk That Walk Floating World 2013
The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Bad & The Best Of Repertoire 2013
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Tuff Enuff/Roll of the Dice Floating World 2014
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Portfolio EMI 1987
Producer/Executive Producer (EP) Title Label Year
Denny Freeman Blues Cruise Amazing 1986
Fabulous Thunderbirds (EP) Tuff Enuff                                         CBS/SONY 1986
Fabulous Thunderbirds (EP) Powerful Stuff CBS/SONY 1989
Fabulous Thunderbirds (EP) Walk that Walk/Talk that Talk CBS /SONY 1991
Sarah Brown Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ Antone's 1996
SOUNDTRACKS
Film/TV Show Song Performed With Year
Roadie “Texas Me & You” Asleep at the Wheel 1979
Wanda Nevada “Behind Shadowed Walls” Asleep at the Wheel 1979
Tex “Incidental” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1982
Tough Guys “Tuff Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1986
The Naked Cage “Tuff Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1986
Gung Ho “Tuff Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1986
My Cousin Vinny “Way Down South” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1987
Porky's Revenge Stagger Lee The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1985
Live from London The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1985
Don't Mess With Texas “Don’t Mess With Texas” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1987
Light of Day (appears in) “Twisted Off” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1987
Bull Durham “Can’t Tear it up Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1988
*** Cocktail “Powerful Stuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1988
Great Balls of Fire “Great Balls of Fire” Jerry Lee Lewis, Dennis Quaid, Jimmie Vaughan, John Doe 1989
The Preppie Murders “Wrap It Up” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1989
Ricochet “Tuff Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1991
Married With Children “Tuff Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 1992
The Game Plan “Tuff Enuff” The Fabulous Thunderbirds 2007

Videos
Band Song Year
Lucky Oceans “Deep Water” 1978
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “How Do You Spell Love” 1980
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Can’t Tear It Up Enough” 1980
The Fabulous Thunderbirds "I Believe I'm in Love With You" 1981
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Live From London” 1985
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Tuff Enuff” 1986
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Wrap It Up” 1986
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “How do You Spell Love” ver.2 1987
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Stand Back” 1987
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Powerful Stuff” 1988
The Fabulous Thunderbirds “Knock Yourself Out” 1989
Denis Quaid, Jimmie Vaughan, John Doe “Great Balls of Fire” 1989

Equipment

Drums: Slingerland Radio King, Pearl Custom, Christina Custom Card, Premiere, Tama

Snare: 6 ½ + 8 1/2 x12

Rack: 9 x 14  

Floor Tom: 16 x 16  

Cymbals: Sabian 22”ride, 18” crash,  K Zildjian  16” crash

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Interview with Fran Christina in Modern Drummer, August 1983
  2. 1 2 Sound Waves Interview with Fran Christina (volume 32, issue 12, December 2022)
  3. ↑ Cooper, Carrie B. (16 October 1986). "Nightstage: The Fabulous Thunderbirds". Westerly Sun.
  4. 1 2 Komara, Edward (2005). Encyclopedia of the Blues. New York: Routledge. p. 847. ISBN 978-0415926997.
  5. 1 2 Komara, Edward (2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues. New York: Routledge. p. 718. ISBN 978-0415926997.
  6. ↑ Various - Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival 1972, retrieved 2022-07-18
  7. ↑ Komora, Edward (2005). Encyclopedia of the Blues. New York: Routledge. pp. xxx. ISBN 978-0415926997.
  8. ↑ Feature article in Rolling Stone Magazine August 1986
  9. ↑ Davis, John T. (November 1981). "Flying High With The Fabulous Thunderbirds: When Nothing Will Do But a Hot Bowl of the Blues". Third Coast: 28.
  10. ↑ Birnbaum, Larry (September 1986). "Born Near the Bayou". Guitar World: 25.
  11. ↑ Stern, Chip (August 1983). "Fran Christina's T-Bird Rhythms". Modern Drummer: 21.
  12. ↑ Rolling Stone September 1980 feature article
  13. ↑ Rolling Stone August 1986 feature article
  14. ↑ Barol, Bill (5 May 1986). "T-Birds in the Fast Lane". Newsweek.
  15. ↑ "Fabulous Thunderbirds". Recording Academy Grammy Awards. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "TSHA | Fabulous Thunderbirds". www.tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  17. ↑ Northeast Scene. Scene Entertainment Weekly, Volume 28, Issue 27. July 1997. JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.32630489. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
  18. ↑ Smith, Mark Lesly (2016). Flatbed Press at 25. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. pp. 205–206. ISBN 978-1477310083.
  19. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards 1981-1982 › BEST PERFORMING BANDS - Best Blues". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  20. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards 1981-1982 › BEST PERFORMING BANDS - Best Blues". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  21. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards 1982-1983 › BEST OF THE YEAR - Band of the Year". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  22. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards 1982-83 - Best Performing Band - Best Blues". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  23. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards - 1982-83 - Hall of Fame". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  24. ↑ Mazak, Grant (July 26, 2020). "Fabulous Thunderbirds". TSHA | Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  25. 1 2 Recording Acadamy Grammy Awards (November 11, 2022). "Fabulous Thunderbirds - 29th Annual Grammy Awards". Recording Academy Grammy Awards. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  26. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards - 1986-1987 › BEST OF THE YEAR - Band of the Year". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  27. ↑ Austin Chronicle (November 11, 2022). "Austin Music Awards 1989-1990 Best Performing Band - Band of the Decade". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  28. ↑ Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame (November 11, 2022). "The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Inaugural Class 2012". Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
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