Keyboardist Tommy Ayers, who had played a key role performing on the debut album, became an official member of the band soon thereafter, expanding the lineup to six. This material would earn Previte an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Franke & the Knockouts released three albums between 1981 and 1986, two on Millennium Records and the final one for MCA. Their self-titled debut, which showcased their light pop/rock leanings, was a surprise success, spawning a Top Ten single with "Sweetheart" and a Top 40 follow-up, "You're My Girl." After Millennium folded, the band switched to MCA Records in 1984. The lone album Franke and the Knockouts would release with MCA, Makin' the Point appeared later in 1984, failing to match the success of their previous work. Franke and the Knockouts formed in 1980, with the original lineup including Previte as frontman, Billy Elworthy on guitar, Blake Levinsohn on keyboards, Leigh Foxx on bass, and Claude LeHenaff on drums. Franke’s other DIRTY DANCING hit, HUNGRY EYES, originally had been on Previte's demo reel as a new Franke & the Knockouts track while he was shopping for a new record deal for the band. Franke and the Knockouts was a pop rock band, formed in New Jersey, USA and fronted by singer/songwriter Franke Previte.. Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles and two Top 50 albums.

He continues to raise money for the charity with his new band, The Brotherhood.

"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" also won the ASCAP song of the year award. This single would be the group's biggest hit, peaking at #10 in the U.S. in June 1981. Today, Previte helps raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network charity in Patrick Swayze's honor. "Before 'Dirty Dancing,' I was an artist, with Frankie and the Knockouts; I had three hit records. Signed by Millennium Records, this lineup released their self-titled debut album in 1981, scoring a top ten hit with "Sweetheart". The group's biggest hit, "Sweetheart", was written by Previte along with Knockouts guitarist Billy Elworthy, peaking at #10 in the U.S. in … Rounding out the original quintet were keyboardist Blake Levinsohn, bassist Leigh Foxx, and drummer Claude LeHenaff. The band switched to MCA Records in 1984, and split up around 1986. Previte co-wrote music for the hit soundtrack for the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, including "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," and Eric Carmen's hit "Hungry Eyes". The group disbanded in 1986, having achieved three top 40 U.S. singles and two Top 50 albums.

In 1982, the band released their second album, Below the Belt, and again scored a Top 40 hit with the keyboard-heavy ballad "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)" that summer. Besides the hit single, bandmember Franke Previte, together with John DeNicola, wrote two of the biggest hits of 1986, "Hungry Eyes" and "Time of My Life" (from the movie Dirty Dancing). History; Members; Discography; Albums; Singles; See also; References; External links; History. When I wrote 'Time of My Life,' I became a songwriter. "If you're a songwriter then you're in the Brotherhood,” said Previte. The band is most remembered for the Top Ten hit single "Sweetheart," released in 1981. [2], Last edited on 19 September 2020, at 12:36, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Franke_and_the_Knockouts&oldid=979207435, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 September 2020, at 12:36. Several years before the breakup, the group also wrote and released the original versions of Eric Carmen's 1987 hit single "Hungry Eyes" as well as the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", (both of which were featured in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing).

Franke and the Knockouts' original version of "Hungry Eyes" was later featured as a bonus track on a re-release of the Makin' the Point album, and was also included, along with the original version of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," on the band's The Sweetheart Collection compilation. Led by singer Franke Previte, the New Brunswick, NJ, band Franke & the Knockouts scored several pop hits in the early '80s. Previte has also been performing with his own band, Franke and the Knockouts, and the two songwriters-turned-performers are doing drive-in showings of … Their biggest single, "Sweetheart", was written by Previte and Knockout guitarist Billy Elworthy, and became a Top 10 hit in 1981. Franke and the Knockouts was a pop rock band, formed in New Jersey, US and fronted by singer/songwriter Franke Previte.. Another single, "You're My Girl" also cracked the top 30.
Switching labels to MCA, Franke & the Knockouts final release, 1984's Makin' the Point, continued the band's diminishing fortunes. “Hungry Eyes” found its home in DIRTY DANCING, and became Franke’s second smash hit for the film. Previously he had sung with the Oxford Watch Band and the heavy metal band Bull Angus.. Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles, as … Switching labels to MCA, Franke & the Knockouts final release, 1984's Makin' the Point, continued the band's diminishing fortunes.

Previte, who had played in local bands since his teens, formed the group with guitarist Billy Elworthy in 1981 and they were quickly signed to Millennium Records. Without You (Not Another Lonely Night) / Shakedown, Sweetheart / Without You (Not Another Lonely Night), The Best Of /Sweetheart- Anniversary Edition. It took me to a whole other level." Continuing on as a quintet once again, the group recorded their second album, Below the Belt with session drummer Al Wotton, who had previously performed on albums by Mark Farner and Rachel Sweet. Previte struck it big in 1987 when two songs that he had co-written were included on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Franke Previte turned 70 and is having the ‘Time of his Life’ Read More: Franke Previte turned 70 and is having the 'Time of his Life', "The right song at the right time in the right movie: Doors of Hollywood swung open for musician after 1987 Academy Award", https://americansongwriter.com/2014/02/ascap-lists-top-100-songs-100th-birthday/, High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin'), Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Franke_Previte&oldid=972650383, Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "I Feel Love" Lyrics by Betty Box, Music by, This page was last edited on 13 August 2020, at 05:46. That same year Previte also received a Golden Globe and a Grammy nomination. Born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey to Franke Previte Sr. (an opera singer), Previte was with the New Jersey rock quintet Franke and the Knockouts as the singer and songwriter. Eric Carmen's version of his "Hungry Eyes" would become a Top Five smash (and restore the former Raspberry to chart prominence), while Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes would top the charts with "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." The group's other two Top 40 hits were "You're My Girl" and "Without You (Not Another Lonely Night)".

Biography. Band membership shifted considerably throughout recording sessions for the group's third album. [2] He was the lead singer of the 1980s pop rock band Franke and the Knockouts. The group toured and appeared on shows such as Fridays and American Bandstand. Previously he had sung with the Oxford Watch Band and the heavy metal band Bull Angus. Franke and the Knockouts were signed by Millennium Records in 1981 and had three U.S. Top 40 singles, as well as two Top 50 albums. On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Franke and the Knockouts among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.