Preston Frank & The Frank Family Band honed their chops by playing true Creole music straight out of their Oberlin and Soileau, Louisiana roots. Indeed, Preston Frank’s song, “Born in the Country,” a tribute to the Creole life, has become a Zydeco standard. The family band was formed in 1977, and over the years grew to include his children Keith on guitar (a well-known artist in his own right), Brad on drums, and Jennifer on bass. Other family members, including Carlton and Hamilton Frank, area alumni.

Now in his 70s, the veteran Frank brings his well-seasoned accordion chops and time-tested vocals to the stage, as well as a direct link to the almost-lost world of early Creole music, where Creole and Cajun stylings danced closely with each other. The band recorded early on for the labels Arhoolie and Lanor, but after a 20-year drought went to the legendary Dockside Studios in late 2023 and, in one day, cut the stellar album Seventy Five. The record is chock full of chestnuts, including “Why You Wanna Make Me Cry” and “Born in the Country,” and the newer “Heartbreak Eyes.”