Frankie Fortune, Vocalist For ECW Theme Songs, Passes Away

Frankie Fortune, who was the voice for several theme songs of the original ECW, has passed away. PWInsider reports that Fortune, real name Frank Garavuso, passed several days ago due to what is believed to be an embolism. The frontman for Reckless Fortune was 51.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Fortune’s family pay for funeral expenses, which you can contribute to here ECW’s music producer Harry Grivas posted to Facebook to remember Fortune, writing:

Frank Garavuso a/k/a Frankie Fortune of Reckless Fortune was one of the greatest vocalists to come out of New York. Joe Lynn Turner of Rainbow and Deep Purple once compared him to Brian Johnson and Robert Plant. Frank held his own playing with his brother, Joey, in their band Reckless Fortune and recording and playing alongside such notable artists as Joe Lynn Turner, Felix Hanemann, Mark Hitt, Ricky Byrd, Arno Hecht, Tony Moore and so many more. Frank and Joey conquered the Long Island live music scene and then moved on to New York City and beyond, headlining major clubs like the Limelight, Coney Island High, Lion’s Den and Danceteria just to name a few. Their recordings took their music around the world with fan bases in other countries like Japan, Russia and South America. Frank’s vocal recordings will live on long past us all.

On a personal level, I loved working with Frank. I met him and Joey when I was a talent booker and promoter in NYC. Reckless Fortune became an instant staple on any stage I was booking and Frank and Joey became my brethren for the next three decades. Later on as a music producer, Frank could give me anything I asked him for in the vocal booth and then some. Some of my greatest musical achievements involved Frank Fortune There were a few times when both of our bands shared a bill. Some of those shows were great, some were not, but it was fun and gave us something to laugh about for many years.

As great of a singer as he was, Frank Garavuso was also a kind, loving and generous soul. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need and asked for nothing in return. In the end, having survived adversity, the loss of his father, surviving a car accident that would have killed a lesser man, it was an undetected embolism that took his life.

If there is an afterlife then the choir of angels must have needed a lead vocalist and God called Frank home. Goodbye Frank, it was an honor to have worked with you and a privilege to have called you a friend. Words can not describe how much I will miss you.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Mr. Garavuso.