View Eric's resume and discography as a PDF (requires Acrobat Reader).
By age five most children are
just learning to read. By age five Eric Frampton was already playing
the piano, reading Mad Magazine, and soaking up The Who, Paul
McCartney's solo records, and electronic music pioneer Wendy Carlos'
"Switched-On Bach."
It started with a passing interest in a piano and organ store at the
local south Georgia shopping mall and developed with the gift of a
piano and lessons from his aunt and uncle. About the same time, Eric
discovered an aptitude for things electrical: soldering irons, lights
and batteries and switches, Electronic Project Kits from Radio Shack,
and pinball machines.
By age 11, while the other kids were outside doing whatever kids do,
Eric could be found at his workbench building simple electronic
circuits or deconstructing various household appliances - anything to
avoid practicing piano. One day Eric's step-dad (who is a famous
pianist in his own right) introduced Eric to producer/composer Marc
Aramian. Marc, it turned out, was owner of three key pieces of
equipment crucial to a budding keyboardist: a synthesizer, a mixing
board, and a 4-track open-reel tape recorder. Eric's first attempt at
multi-track recording was a Bach two-part invention, recalling the
Carlos recordings he'd first heard years before.
Eric joined his first high-school rock band at 14 as the youngest
member of the band. Soon the first keyboard of his own was purchased: a
Yamaha DX7 synthesizer. Known as a notoriously difficult instrument to
program, he nonetheless quickly mastered it. Meanwhile, Eric entered
multiple Georgia All-state classical piano competitions. He won
Superior medals in all of them.
After high school, Eric attended Erskine College in South Carolina
where he studied for his Bachelor's degree in Music. Eric wasted no
time assembling bits and pieces of borrowed equipment into a working
8-track studio. He was already pushing the technology of analog tape
and computer/MIDI synchronization to levels (at that time) usually
reserved for the most advanced professionals, and was doing it all in
his dorm room. His professors recognized that their music department
had no provision for such advanced music technology studies, and
actually let Eric create his own independent study programs.
After college, Eric toured with his step-father, concert pianist Mac
Frampton, for a year. He then took a two-year hiatus and moved to
then-quiet Charlotte, North Carolina to work with Zimmer Organs. He
created for himself a new job position - synthesizer and MIDI
consultant to churches. As the Zimmer company's plans for synthesizer
and church organ integration were a few years ahead of their time, he
turned his focus at Zimmer to user interface design for their
cutting-edge digital church organs. Eric helped design a MIDI
specification and user interface for their instruments which was
advanced enough that it is still in use, nearly unchanged, over ten
years later.
A couple of years later Eric moved back to Atlanta to find out what
he'd missed. Upon returning home, first the theatre community embraced
him. He co-wrote two musicals and found himself in-demand as musical
director for productions up and down the East coast. Then improv
theatre troupes discovered his wry sense of musical humor and
incredible memory for pop culture references and theme music.
Meanwhile, the recording industry was rediscovering him, and he began
to build his resume as a player, producer, and commercial music
composer. Proficient in myriad styles, and influenced by the legends -
Rick Wakeman, Chick Corea, Jerry Lee Lewis, Stevie Wonder, Wendy
Carlos, Billy Joel - Eric's musical style defies easy classification.
But one thing was for certain: he still missed playing rock 'n' roll.
In 1999 Eric finally landed his first major touring gig as keyboardist
for seminal rock/funk band Mother's Finest, a seat he would fill for
two action-packed years. He then joined Atlanta band Amerigo Poppy,
playing and co-writing their first record with producer David Ryan
Harris (Dave Matthews, Dionne Farris). It was mixed by Nick DiDia
(Train, Aimee Mann, Bruce Springsteen).
Amerigo Poppy disbanded, which left Eric to look for a new musical
outlet. That space was filled as Eric was asked to join prog rock band
Agent Cooper. He'd found good company in this room full of virtuoso
players: singer/guitarist Doug Busbee (Salem Ash), drummer Forrest
Robinson (India.Arie, Utada), and bassist Sean Delson (Fozzy, Stuck
Mojo). Their latest album, "Beginners Mind", is on Prog Rock Records.
Other projects included "My Kung-Fu Is Good," the debut solo album on
Universal from The Duke, Stuck Mojo guitarist Rich Ward. Eric played
keyboards, co-wrote, and co-produced several tracks. It was mixed by
Shawn Grove (Sevendust, Edwin McCain). Eric also just finished
co-producing and playing keyboards on the debut record from Zerochance,
and playing keyboards on the debut record from rock guitar prodigy Mike
Martin.
Not content merely to be playing, Eric can also be seen (or not seen,
as the case may be) as the keyboard/computer technician and synth
programmer for other touring acts, from Paul Simon to the B-52's. It
helps that he has perfect pitch: on a recent trip to New Zealand, the
B-52's guitarist missed his flight, so keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Pat
Irwin learned the lead guitar parts, and Eric quite capably filled in
and played all the keyboard parts. He is known as the bandıs first pick
as a fill in artist should any other catastrophes arise.
While he has spent plenty of time helping other people realize their
artistic visions, Eric has decided it is time to realize his own. His
latest project is an album of original solo piano pieces, the
culmination of 20 years' worth of ideas and sketches. From laments and
regrets to notes of intense joy and euphoria, one cannot help but be
affected by such a masterful, emotional player.