Biography
Frank Cheatham Jr. has long intertwined his deep spiritual devotion with a commanding command of musical craft. A seasoned composer, producer, and studio keyboardist and bassist, he issued his first full-length recording, Basic Keys to Life, in 2001. He maintains his longstanding post as music director at Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. Sound has shaped his entire existence. A toy organ arrived as a Christmas gift when he was three, and within a few years his father installed a Hammond B3 in the household. Seven years of classical piano study followed, alongside school-band saxophone lessons; later his parents presented him with a bass guitar. By ear he quickly learned to shadow radio tracks, achieving fluency on the instrument. At sixteen he acquired a Hofner precision bass. Although he kept performing on piano for church services and area ensembles, he set the bass aside for an extended period. Only after absorbing the groundbreaking styles of Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, and Marcus Miller did he return to the instrument.
Albums
