Singer and songwriter from Birmingham. (13 November 1941 – 23 July 2023)
A chance meeting with guitar virtuoso Hartley Cain led to the formation of a rock band. He rapidly built up a large fan base around the Midlands, London and Germany. The rock career lost momentum when the major album Rogues & Thieves did not take off but he did get on Top Of The Pops as part of his mate, Roy Wood¹s band, The Move. Gradually his music became more Country and he was invited by Mervyn Conn to be part of the famed Wembley Festivals. Mervyn Conn backed two albums recorded in Nashville with the Jordanaires and Hargus Pig Robbins. The first, Southern Fried Frog was and still is a massive seller. Froggie did and still does sing 99 percent of his own material and he has the largest following of any UK artist.
His autobiography, Raymond Who?, is a great read. UK singers cover more of his songs than any other writer. When he released Don't Let Me Cry Again, Terry Wogan played it every day for a fortnight but unfortunately a distribution blip stopped it being a major pop hit.
After fighting health problems he was still a major player on the UK Country scene having played with most of the major American artists including Tina Turner who recorded one of his songs. Raymond Froggatt is the only UK artist to have played the Albert Hall, London Palladium and the Birmingham Symphony Hall. He was one of an elite band who could have a theatre tour each year.