Frank Czuri
Introduction '''Frank Czuri''' (born September 8, 1948) is an American vocalist (tenor), entertainer, songwriter and recording artist who has been performing professionally since the age of 14.He works in all genres, and is best known as the lead singer for two popular Pittsburgh rock groups, The Silencers and Diamond Reo. Since 2013 he has been performing with legendary doo-wop group Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners. He also fronts a reunited lineup of the pioneering Pittsburgh rock/R&B band The Igniters, with whom he began his recording career. Czuri has performed on many LPs, CDs, and singles released worldwide.Frank Czuri performing at an outdoor concert with The Igniters, 2014
Early years: The Igniters and Friends Frank Czuri was raised in the Pittsburgh, PA, suburb of Penn Hills. He was inspired to become a performer after seeing a live all-star show featuring R&B/soul greats like Frankie Lymon, Little Anthony, Bo Diddley, and Clyde McPhatter. At the age of 14 his childhood friend Bob McKeag (aka Bubs McKeg) invited him to join his popular band The Igniters as lead singer. Within a few years, Atlantic Records took notice and signed 18-year-old Frank and his bandmates to the label. As Jimmy Mack and the Music Factory, they recorded a Top 40 single, ''Baby, I Love You'', b/w ''The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game'' - both featuring Frank on lead vocals. It's rumored that the band was the second rock act signed by the blues/R&B label—right behind The Young Rascals. Frank and his Igniters bandmates also released the Atlantic single ''Gonna Tr''y b/w ''Goodbye Mama'' under the name Friends.
The Jaggerz and Diamond Reo In 1970 Frank began a four-year stint as vocalist and keyboard player with The Jaggerz, the Pittsburgh band that had scored a Top Ten hit with ''The Rapper'' in 1969.In 1974 he moved on to front the hard rock band Diamond Reo, whose members included guitarist Bubs McKeg, guitarist Warren King, bassist  Norman Nardini, and drummer Rob Johns. Working with producer/manager Dave Shaffer and producer  Tom Cossie , the band signed a contract with the Atlantic subsidiary Big Tree Records, and released a Top 40 hit cover of Marvin Gaye's ''Ain't That Peculiar'' in December 1974.They went on to release four more singles and three LPs through 1978.A British rock magazine once called Diamond Reo "the best heavy metal LP to escape from the U.S. in years." Frank's gigs with the band took him to venues far and wide - from arenas with acts like Kiss and Aerosmith, to the "upstairs room" of New York's infamous Warhol hangout, Max's Kansas City. On February 15, 1975, he appeared with Diamond Reo performing "Ain't That Peculiar" and "Movin' On" on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, season 18, episode 19.In a January 1, 1975, article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, music writer Mike Kalina named Frank the region's best rock singer and Diamond Reo the best local rock band of 1974.
The Silencers In 1979, Frank started producing demo tapes of original music for Tom Cossie's Precision Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records. Soon, he was talking with Warren King about forming a new band to be called The Silencers, and together they recruited Dennis Takos on keyboards, Mike Pella on bass, and Ron "Byrd" Foster on drums. Before they had played their first gig, Cossie had managed to land them a two-album record deal with Precision, based solely on the band's demo tape. Soon The Silencers would become the hottest rock band in the Pittsburgh region with their raucous covers and original material that combined rock, New Wave, R&B, soul, and reggae. Their debut LP, ''Rock'n'Roll Enforcers'' was produced by Bob Clearmountain and yielded two singles. A video of the Silencers' medley "Peter Gunn Theme/Remote Control/Illegal" aired on MTV on the day the network premiered  - August 1, 1981 - and won several awards. Billboard Magazine said of ''Rock'n'Roll Enforcers'': "The Silencers are armed with a hard hitting debut. Fronted by the aggressive vocals of Frank Czuri...the Silencers show an amazing command of rock history…This is slashing rock which goes for the jugular. "The band's second album, Romanic, produced two singles. (See discography below.)
Pure Gold In 1985, Frank embarked on a different musical path when he joined the popular Pittsburgh R&B/doo-wop ensemble Pure Gold. During his 25-year years with the group, he appeared on the PBS  American Music Series performing such classics as ''Sh-Boom'' and ''Long Tall Girl'', and backed artists like Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Mel Carter, Barbara Mason, Barbara Lewis, Percy Sledge, Sam Moore, among others.
The Igniters reunion In 2003, Bubs McKeg decided to stage an Igniters reunion show and invited Frank to join his new lineup. That year they performed the first of four sold-out reunion shows that drew a total of 3,000 loyal fans from all over the U.S. Reinvigorated, they reunited on a permanent basis in 2010, and have been playing at festivals, clubs and casinos all over the tri-state region.
Current Work: Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners Since 2013 Frank has been performing and touring with Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners, the group that recorded the huge 1958 hit Since I Don't Have You. The ensemble was recently awarded a 2016  Pittsburgh Rock' Roll Legends Award in the Legacy area.
Personal life In 2010, Frank was awarded the Penn Hills Arts, Music, and Entertainment (PHAME) award in recognition of his lifelong work.In 2014, he retired from a 20-year career in the field of alternative education.
Band History * Medallions* Von'Ls* Carvells* The Igniters* Jimmy Mack & The Music Factory* Friends* Hollywood * Jaggerz* Diamond Reo* Silencers* Pure Gold* Igniters (reunited)* Laurels* Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners* Dancing in the Street
Discography ===LP and CD releases===  Title  Group  Label  Year  ''Come Again''  Jaggerz  Wooden Nickel  1975  ''Diamond Reo''  Diamond Reo  Big Tree Records  1975  ''Dirty Diamonds''  Diamond Reo  Kama Sutra Records  1976  ''Ruff Cuts''  Diamond Reo  Mad Dog  1978  ''Rock and Roll Enforcers''  Silencers  Precision/CBS  1980  ''Romanic''  Silencers  Precision/CBS  1982  ''Collage''  Pure Gold  Green Dolphin  1998  ''A Capella Christmas''  Pure Gold  Collectibles  2001  ''The A Capella Album''  Pure Gold  Collectibles  2004  ''Forever''  Pure Gold  Collectibles  2005  ''24 Carat Dreams''  Pure Gold  Green Dolphin  2007  ''Merry Christmas''  Pure Gold  Green Dolphin  2007''Igniters Reunion''The Igniters2003''Just One More Time''DT and Some ShakersDNT Records2011===Singles===  Title  Group  Label  Billboard Top 100 placing  Baby I Love You / The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game Jimmy Mack and the Music Factory  Atlantic  Gonna Try / So Long Mama Friends  Atlantic  Let's Talk About Love / I'll Never Forget You Jaggerz  Kama Sutra  Ain't That Sad/ Let's talk About Love Jaggerz  Kama Sutra  The Streaker, parts 1 and 2 Jaggerz  Jaggerz Records  I Can't Make It Without You / A Certain Girl Jaggerz  Jaggerz Records  Don't It Make You Wanna Dance / 2 + 2 Jaggerz  Wooden Nickel/RCA  Ain't that Peculiar / From Here to Infinity  Diamond Reo  Big Tree Records  44  Rock and Roll Til I Die / I Ain't Buyin'  Diamond Reo  Big Tree Records  Work Hard Labour /  Sittin' On Top of the Blues  Diamond Reo  Big Tree Records  Lover Boy / Boys Will Be Boys  Diamond Reo  Buddah RecordsMad DogDiamond ReoBuddah Records  Shiver and Shake / Illegal  The Silencers  Precision/CBS  89  Modern Love / Remote Control  The Silencers  Precision/CBS  Sidewalk Romeo / One of Those Girls  The Silencers  Precision/CBS  Romanic / Cry Tough  The Silencers  Precision/CBS  Please Chase My Christmas Blues/I'm Your Santa Claus Baby  Pure Gold  Green Dolphin
References https%3A%2F%2Fsites.google.com%2Fsite%2Fpittsburghmusichistory%2Fvocalists%2Ffrank-czuri&h=NAQHf9t2iAQGgKHb9lxL7XPqPA-jlcZO8yRfp-RacmCVb5A
External links *  Frank Czuri website*  Frank Czuri Profile - Pittsburgh Music History