Daughter of Platters singer records homage to the iconic group
24/12/12 08:53
Review of Franchesca's album by Perter Larson of the Orange County Register
Franchesca Robi Gilchriese grew up with the sound of her father singing. Paul Robi was the baritone voice in the Platters, the rock 'n' roll vocal group responsible for such hits as "Only You," "The Great Pretender" and "My Prayer."
And when Gilchriese was a kid in the '60s, her father would gather his current version of the Platters in the living room of their Baldwin Hills home to rehearse around the piano before heading out on tour again.
Franchesca Robi Gilchriese is the daughter of Paul Robi, a member of the rock and roll vocal group the Platters.
Franchesca Robi Gilchriese
What: The daughter of Paul Robi will perform songs from her album 'Remembering the Platters: Songs of My Father' at a Society of Singers benefit.
Where: Café Cordiale, 14015 Venture Blvd., Sherman Oaks
How much: $60
For more: Franchescarobi.com or Singers.org.
"That's what I remember," says Gilchriese, who lives in the Nelly Gail neighborhood of Laguna Hills. "My dad rehearsing and singing, just rehearsing in our living room all of the time. And then I went on tours with him all over the place."
Years passed and after Paul Robi died in 1989, his daughter joined his lineup of the Platters in his place, singing and managing the group for six years until she left to marry and start a family. Now, though, she's returning to her musical legacy with an album of 12 songs titled "Remembering The Platters: Songs Of My Father." On Monday, she'll perform songs from the album at a benefit in Los Angeles for the Society of Singers.
"It was something that my mother and I, we'd wanted to do for a long time, and we just didn't have the push," Gilchriese says, describing how her eventual producer, Angela White, finally convinced her to make the record. "She'd say, 'You've got to do it, Franchesca, you've got a wonderful voice.'"
And so a little over a year ago, she put the project together, recording with a full orchestra on some songs, a backing group of top session musicians on others.
"The first recording session we did was at Capitol Records, which was amazing for me to be able to do because my dad, back in the '50s when they recorded 'Only You,' they recorded that at Capitol Records too," Gilchriese says. "So it was an amazing experience. It took a lot of time and energy but we had the right people and they knew other people who wanted to be part of it."
Picking the songs to cover on the record took time, she says. "I literally listened to every song they recorded. And of course I had to have all the hits on there, but as I listened to these songs I heard more of the other ones, too."
Some didn't seem like they'd fit her female voice, but other lesser known tracks felt right to her.
"Some of my songs that ended up being my favorites weren't the ones that were hits," Gilchriese says. "'Only Because' became one of my favorite songs, it came out so beautiful. And 'Wish It Were Me.'"
Gilchriese said it wasn't until she was a teenager that she started to realize how culturally important the music of the Platters was (the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990), though she'd sensed as a younger child when she'd travel with the group on tour.
"We could go anywhere in the world where they might not even speak English but they knew the Platters' songs," she says.
Gilchriese says she had so much fun making the album that she's thinking of doing another one. As for why the Platters songs have endured so long, she says the appeal is quite simple.
"They're just beautiful melodies and harmonies," she says. "The songs are beautiful, the words are beautiful and they were sung so beautifully.
And I think that's why they've endured so many years. That's kind of why I did the album, to keep those songs alive."
Contact the writer: 714-796-7787 or[email protected]
Midwest Record Entertainment
18/11/12 11:05
FRANCHESCA ROBI/Remembering the Platters-Songs of My Father: When you're dealing with a Natalie Cole, a Monica Mancini, a Tommy LiPuma and a big budget, tipping the cap to your pop can look real easy.
When you're doing it all on your own with a lot of heart and soul, the results can be equally as pleasing. Returning to the Capitol studios where the Platters cut their first and subsequent hits, the Robi daughter brings a fine voice and a good attitude, along with a 35 piece band to tip the cap to her pop, who was the Platters.
With the same kind of sincerity Hank Jr brings to a project of his pop's songs, this one might be in a different church and a different pew but the vibe is the same. This is a mighty tasty look back at a time and a place by someone that was not only there but has it all in her blood. Not just for oldies fans at all.
Sheryl Feuerstein
SFPR/East West Media
310.821.5858
[email protected]
Franchesca Robi Carries the Platters' Torch
26/10/12 08:53
Paul Robi was the booming baritone of the 50s vocal group the Platters. He stayed with the group through their chart topping heyday, performing on timeless classics like "Only You," "The Great Pretender" and "Twilight Time." He passed away in the late 1980s, performing for as long as his body would allow. This summer his daughter, Franchesca, released a collection of Platters covers in tribute to her father's legacy, proving a inherited sense of phrasing and romance. She spoke with us by phone in anticipation of her Society of Singers benefit this Monday.
OC Weekly (Sean J. O'Connell): How old were you when you realized what your father did for a living?
Franchesca Robi: I think I realized how famous the group was when I got to my teenage years. I went on tour with them a lot. That was kind of interesting. We'd be out of school a little bit too much. It was fun to travel with my dad. They were so well known around the world. That was really cool to go to a different country and see people who didn't speak English but knew the lyrics to Platters songs.
The weird thing is we got the same response everywhere we went - Indonesia, Australia, Taiwan, Finland. People loved the music. People loved it no matter what. My mom and my dad loved performing in Japan the most. They absolutely loved the Plattersin Japan. I toured there for many years too. After my dad passed I continued on with the music. We had a great time there. People love the idea of the daughter carrying on the father's music.
What do you think the Platters' legacy is?
I think it's timeless music. The songs were love songs with beautiful melodies and harmonies. Their music was so beautiful. They don't make songs like that anymore. The whole combination is what made that group and they were such smooth, elegant performers. They were sort of in the same vein as Nat King Cole, that type of swagger. It was amazing to see them perform.
They were more into love songs and ballads. Even though they were in that doo wop scene, everyone would get together and slow dance to them. People would come up to my dad and say "we fell in love to this song" or they conceived their first child listening to one of their songs.
Your album seems like quite a production with strings and a jazz quintet. What did it take to make it happen?
It was a project that my mom and I had talked about for many years. It all came together last year. We met the right people who wanted to get involved. Next thing you know we were in the studio. We recorded the whole thing at Capitol Records in Hollywood. The Platters' first hit was recorded there as well. It was an amazing experience doing the record there. The engineer we used at Capitol, Dan Wallin, is one of the oldest engineers still working. He's very in-demand and he had just done the soundtrack forMission Impossible. He helped me get all the musicians together for the quintet [including bassistChuck Berghofer, drummer Peter Erskine]. He was in the first session with the orchestra. He loved my voice. He said "you gotta get back in here and I have the perfect guys for you."
You're fundraiser is for the Society of Singers. What is their mission?
The organization was founded by Henry Mancini's wife, Ginny. She put it together for singers who have medical problems. There isn't usually health insurance for available for singers. The organization is there to help people who are unable to take care of their medical costs. It's a great cause and I'm glad to be a part of it.
Follow us on Twitter at @OCWeeklyMusic and like us on Facebook at Heard Mentality.
FRANCHESCA RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM 
16/06/12 08:53
Franchesca has officially released her debut album, "Remembering The Platters - Songs of My Father." The album was released digitally through distributor BFM Digital on June 15th, 2012 (CD to be released later this summer). Co-exectutive produced by Martha Robi and Studio City's DaBet Music Services, the recording features Franchesca performing her own renditions of a carefully selected collection of songs made famous by The Platters.
The album was recorded at Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood over two sessions in July of 2011 and January 2012, which featured arrangement from Roy Phillippe and Tim Simonec. Dan Wallin, score mixer of such films as Star Trek, Mission Impossible III and Up amongst others, acted in capacity of engineer/producer for both sessions. The earlier sessions involved a complete orchestra of 35 union musicians from Local 47 and well as 15 student musicians of Cal State Northridge and professor/violinist Mike Ferril.
The second session brought in such notables as guitarist George Doering, bassist Chuck Berghoffer, drummer Peter Erskine, pianist Jim Cox and tenor saxophonist Gene Cipriano. Her return to the recording studio is a significant change of direction for Franchesca, who put her music career on a two-decade-plus hiatus to build a marriage and family with husband Ton Gilchriese, and earn a bachelor's degree in psychology from Cal State North Ridge.
"Although I love being a wife and mother I have never lost the love for the wonderful music my father left in my heart," says Franchesca. "This new album is my way of keeping my father's musical legacy alive. The Platters albums include some of the most beautiful songs ever recorded." In 1988, Robi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He became very weak and could no longer perform. At that time, Franchesca’s father asked her to join his group. “I knew all of the music note by note,” recalls Franchesca, “and, like my father, I felt I was capable of coaching the singers and rehearsing the musicians. I decided to try it and everyone loved it. After watching my father perform for so many years, it was second nature to me. I began traveling, performing The Platters music all over the world.”
Franchesca went on to tour with the group to Finland, Italy, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, China, Turkey, Germany, and even performed in Monte Carlo, for Prince Albert at the famous Formula One race. She also performed with the Boston Symphony directed by Marvin Hamlish, and at the Kennedy Center in New York for Vice President Dan Quayle. When Paul Robi passed away on Feb. 1, 1989, Franchesca decided to reevaluate her life goals, stop touring, and go back to school to earn her degree.
In 1990 The Platters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "Life on the road as a musician was exciting but also can become very lonely, so I got married and started a beautiful family,” Franchesca says. “This new album is my way of honoring my father’s memory by keeping The Platters music alive,” she concludes. “It was tremendous experience traveling and performing with the group when I was younger, and now I look forward to sharing my own recording of these beautiful songs with those who already love The Platters music, as well as new fans who will learn to love them, too.” Franchesca’s tribute album to her father features 12 tracks, including: “Only You,” “It Isn’t Right,” “My Prayer,” “
The Mystery Of You,” “Only Because,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” “Wish It Were Me,” “(You’ve Got) The Magic Touch,” “I Wish,” “No Power On Earth,” “For The First Time” and “The Great Pretender.”
24/12/12 08:53
Review of Franchesca's album by Perter Larson of the Orange County Register
Franchesca Robi Gilchriese grew up with the sound of her father singing. Paul Robi was the baritone voice in the Platters, the rock 'n' roll vocal group responsible for such hits as "Only You," "The Great Pretender" and "My Prayer."
And when Gilchriese was a kid in the '60s, her father would gather his current version of the Platters in the living room of their Baldwin Hills home to rehearse around the piano before heading out on tour again.
Franchesca Robi Gilchriese is the daughter of Paul Robi, a member of the rock and roll vocal group the Platters.
Franchesca Robi Gilchriese
What: The daughter of Paul Robi will perform songs from her album 'Remembering the Platters: Songs of My Father' at a Society of Singers benefit.
Where: Café Cordiale, 14015 Venture Blvd., Sherman Oaks
How much: $60
For more: Franchescarobi.com or Singers.org.
"That's what I remember," says Gilchriese, who lives in the Nelly Gail neighborhood of Laguna Hills. "My dad rehearsing and singing, just rehearsing in our living room all of the time. And then I went on tours with him all over the place."
Years passed and after Paul Robi died in 1989, his daughter joined his lineup of the Platters in his place, singing and managing the group for six years until she left to marry and start a family. Now, though, she's returning to her musical legacy with an album of 12 songs titled "Remembering The Platters: Songs Of My Father." On Monday, she'll perform songs from the album at a benefit in Los Angeles for the Society of Singers.
"It was something that my mother and I, we'd wanted to do for a long time, and we just didn't have the push," Gilchriese says, describing how her eventual producer, Angela White, finally convinced her to make the record. "She'd say, 'You've got to do it, Franchesca, you've got a wonderful voice.'"
And so a little over a year ago, she put the project together, recording with a full orchestra on some songs, a backing group of top session musicians on others.
"The first recording session we did was at Capitol Records, which was amazing for me to be able to do because my dad, back in the '50s when they recorded 'Only You,' they recorded that at Capitol Records too," Gilchriese says. "So it was an amazing experience. It took a lot of time and energy but we had the right people and they knew other people who wanted to be part of it."
Picking the songs to cover on the record took time, she says. "I literally listened to every song they recorded. And of course I had to have all the hits on there, but as I listened to these songs I heard more of the other ones, too."
Some didn't seem like they'd fit her female voice, but other lesser known tracks felt right to her.
"Some of my songs that ended up being my favorites weren't the ones that were hits," Gilchriese says. "'Only Because' became one of my favorite songs, it came out so beautiful. And 'Wish It Were Me.'"
Gilchriese said it wasn't until she was a teenager that she started to realize how culturally important the music of the Platters was (the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990), though she'd sensed as a younger child when she'd travel with the group on tour.
"We could go anywhere in the world where they might not even speak English but they knew the Platters' songs," she says.
Gilchriese says she had so much fun making the album that she's thinking of doing another one. As for why the Platters songs have endured so long, she says the appeal is quite simple.
"They're just beautiful melodies and harmonies," she says. "The songs are beautiful, the words are beautiful and they were sung so beautifully.
And I think that's why they've endured so many years. That's kind of why I did the album, to keep those songs alive."
Contact the writer: 714-796-7787 or[email protected]
Midwest Record Entertainment
18/11/12 11:05
FRANCHESCA ROBI/Remembering the Platters-Songs of My Father: When you're dealing with a Natalie Cole, a Monica Mancini, a Tommy LiPuma and a big budget, tipping the cap to your pop can look real easy.
When you're doing it all on your own with a lot of heart and soul, the results can be equally as pleasing. Returning to the Capitol studios where the Platters cut their first and subsequent hits, the Robi daughter brings a fine voice and a good attitude, along with a 35 piece band to tip the cap to her pop, who was the Platters.
With the same kind of sincerity Hank Jr brings to a project of his pop's songs, this one might be in a different church and a different pew but the vibe is the same. This is a mighty tasty look back at a time and a place by someone that was not only there but has it all in her blood. Not just for oldies fans at all.
Sheryl Feuerstein
SFPR/East West Media
310.821.5858
[email protected]
Franchesca Robi Carries the Platters' Torch
26/10/12 08:53
Paul Robi was the booming baritone of the 50s vocal group the Platters. He stayed with the group through their chart topping heyday, performing on timeless classics like "Only You," "The Great Pretender" and "Twilight Time." He passed away in the late 1980s, performing for as long as his body would allow. This summer his daughter, Franchesca, released a collection of Platters covers in tribute to her father's legacy, proving a inherited sense of phrasing and romance. She spoke with us by phone in anticipation of her Society of Singers benefit this Monday.
OC Weekly (Sean J. O'Connell): How old were you when you realized what your father did for a living?
Franchesca Robi: I think I realized how famous the group was when I got to my teenage years. I went on tour with them a lot. That was kind of interesting. We'd be out of school a little bit too much. It was fun to travel with my dad. They were so well known around the world. That was really cool to go to a different country and see people who didn't speak English but knew the lyrics to Platters songs.
The weird thing is we got the same response everywhere we went - Indonesia, Australia, Taiwan, Finland. People loved the music. People loved it no matter what. My mom and my dad loved performing in Japan the most. They absolutely loved the Plattersin Japan. I toured there for many years too. After my dad passed I continued on with the music. We had a great time there. People love the idea of the daughter carrying on the father's music.
What do you think the Platters' legacy is?
I think it's timeless music. The songs were love songs with beautiful melodies and harmonies. Their music was so beautiful. They don't make songs like that anymore. The whole combination is what made that group and they were such smooth, elegant performers. They were sort of in the same vein as Nat King Cole, that type of swagger. It was amazing to see them perform.
They were more into love songs and ballads. Even though they were in that doo wop scene, everyone would get together and slow dance to them. People would come up to my dad and say "we fell in love to this song" or they conceived their first child listening to one of their songs.
Your album seems like quite a production with strings and a jazz quintet. What did it take to make it happen?
It was a project that my mom and I had talked about for many years. It all came together last year. We met the right people who wanted to get involved. Next thing you know we were in the studio. We recorded the whole thing at Capitol Records in Hollywood. The Platters' first hit was recorded there as well. It was an amazing experience doing the record there. The engineer we used at Capitol, Dan Wallin, is one of the oldest engineers still working. He's very in-demand and he had just done the soundtrack forMission Impossible. He helped me get all the musicians together for the quintet [including bassistChuck Berghofer, drummer Peter Erskine]. He was in the first session with the orchestra. He loved my voice. He said "you gotta get back in here and I have the perfect guys for you."
You're fundraiser is for the Society of Singers. What is their mission?
The organization was founded by Henry Mancini's wife, Ginny. She put it together for singers who have medical problems. There isn't usually health insurance for available for singers. The organization is there to help people who are unable to take care of their medical costs. It's a great cause and I'm glad to be a part of it.
Follow us on Twitter at @OCWeeklyMusic and like us on Facebook at Heard Mentality.
FRANCHESCA RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM 
16/06/12 08:53
Franchesca has officially released her debut album, "Remembering The Platters - Songs of My Father." The album was released digitally through distributor BFM Digital on June 15th, 2012 (CD to be released later this summer). Co-exectutive produced by Martha Robi and Studio City's DaBet Music Services, the recording features Franchesca performing her own renditions of a carefully selected collection of songs made famous by The Platters.
The album was recorded at Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood over two sessions in July of 2011 and January 2012, which featured arrangement from Roy Phillippe and Tim Simonec. Dan Wallin, score mixer of such films as Star Trek, Mission Impossible III and Up amongst others, acted in capacity of engineer/producer for both sessions. The earlier sessions involved a complete orchestra of 35 union musicians from Local 47 and well as 15 student musicians of Cal State Northridge and professor/violinist Mike Ferril.
The second session brought in such notables as guitarist George Doering, bassist Chuck Berghoffer, drummer Peter Erskine, pianist Jim Cox and tenor saxophonist Gene Cipriano. Her return to the recording studio is a significant change of direction for Franchesca, who put her music career on a two-decade-plus hiatus to build a marriage and family with husband Ton Gilchriese, and earn a bachelor's degree in psychology from Cal State North Ridge.
"Although I love being a wife and mother I have never lost the love for the wonderful music my father left in my heart," says Franchesca. "This new album is my way of keeping my father's musical legacy alive. The Platters albums include some of the most beautiful songs ever recorded." In 1988, Robi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He became very weak and could no longer perform. At that time, Franchesca’s father asked her to join his group. “I knew all of the music note by note,” recalls Franchesca, “and, like my father, I felt I was capable of coaching the singers and rehearsing the musicians. I decided to try it and everyone loved it. After watching my father perform for so many years, it was second nature to me. I began traveling, performing The Platters music all over the world.”
Franchesca went on to tour with the group to Finland, Italy, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, China, Turkey, Germany, and even performed in Monte Carlo, for Prince Albert at the famous Formula One race. She also performed with the Boston Symphony directed by Marvin Hamlish, and at the Kennedy Center in New York for Vice President Dan Quayle. When Paul Robi passed away on Feb. 1, 1989, Franchesca decided to reevaluate her life goals, stop touring, and go back to school to earn her degree.
In 1990 The Platters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "Life on the road as a musician was exciting but also can become very lonely, so I got married and started a beautiful family,” Franchesca says. “This new album is my way of honoring my father’s memory by keeping The Platters music alive,” she concludes. “It was tremendous experience traveling and performing with the group when I was younger, and now I look forward to sharing my own recording of these beautiful songs with those who already love The Platters music, as well as new fans who will learn to love them, too.” Franchesca’s tribute album to her father features 12 tracks, including: “Only You,” “It Isn’t Right,” “My Prayer,” “
The Mystery Of You,” “Only Because,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” “Wish It Were Me,” “(You’ve Got) The Magic Touch,” “I Wish,” “No Power On Earth,” “For The First Time” and “The Great Pretender.”