Frank Denke

American pianist, songwriter and teacher. Born January 26, 1906 Died November 19, 1988 (82 years old). He is the father of pianist Debbie Denke. He played on radio as well as clubs, hotels, and recording. He began in the San Francisco Bay Area as an "ear player" to become one of the best in the area. At the age of nine, he began lessons with Herman Tutner, a very well-known teacher at the time. He played in band and for the choral group in high school. He continued to study at the Chicago Musical College under Rudolph Gans. He began playing in the pit orchestras with bandleaders before joining hotel bands with bandleaders such as Anson Weeks, Phil Harris and Xavier Cugat. Radio followed including the radio program "Masters Of Melody" for its entire 10-year run of salon music and light classics. Next he was the staff pianist for CBS radio in San Francisco. In 1957 he joined Anson Weeks Orchestra at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. He continued his radio gig and playing hotels, including for many years at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.