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Frankie Turano Brings Passion for Music and Community to Rock Hunger VIII
Nutley Family Service Bureau Board of Trustees member Frankie Turano hasn’t played the guitar in decades. But he is still known by many as Frankie Fender.
As a young guitarist, Frankie’s father bought him a Fender Stratocaster – the quintessential electric guitar.
“I was okay as a guitar player, but I hung out with some people who were exceptional,” Frankie said. “When I got that Fender Strat, John Peccarelli, who’s a brilliant keyboardist, started calling me Frankie Fender. Then some teachers and kids at Nutley High School picked up on it. Even after I graduated in 1985, my band broke up, and I went into the family cabinetry business, the name stuck.”Frankie’s family business, Kitchens by Turano, operated in Nutley for 35 years until Frankie opened American-Made Cabinetry in 2016. Frankie’s business sponsored previous Rock Hunger concerts and other NFSB events.
When he joined the NFSB Board of Trustees in 2022, it was only a matter of time before he would dive headfirst into Rock Hunger and serve as co-chair for the event, along with NFSB Board President Dave Popkin, who first introduced the concept 10 years ago.
Rock Hunger VIII, a concert to benefit the NFSB Food Pantry, returns to the Old Canal Inn, 2 East Passaic Avenue in Nutley, on Saturday, June 7 at 2 pm, and Frankie is excited to have a role in making the event a success.
“I played with the guys from the Sticky Wickets back in high school and graduated with a few of them, and I’m friends with the Teresi and everyone in Project Blue Book,” Frankie said. “I love bringing the community together for a concert to support the Food Pantry. Where else can you buy a ticket for $25 and see four bands? That’s not cheap. That’s dirt cheap!”
In addition to the Sticky Wickets and Project Blue Book, NFSB will welcome the Anna Felice Band and the Porch Rockers, who will headline Rock Hunger VIII.
Rock Hunger VIII will also launch NFSB’s first-ever Summer Concert Series. Organized by the NFSB Community Advisory Board, the Summer Concert Series will feature five additional free shows at 169 Chestnut Street between NFSB and the Nutley Masonic Lodge. Sponsors will not only receive premium promotion before and during Rock Hunger, but also in social media posts and eblasts about the Summer Concert Series at no additional cost!
Frankie is grateful for the opportunity to support NFSB and the Food Pantry in a way that stirs his passion for music.
“I’m a classic rock guy,” Frankie said. “If you left me on an island and said I could listen to music from three bands for the rest of my life, they would be the Beatles, Queen, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Rock Hunger will have plenty of classic rock, but also the biggest hits from the 50s right up through today. I can’t wait to see old friends and meet new people in support of such an incredible organization.”
To purchase tickets for Rock Hunger VIII on June 7 at 2 pm at the Old Canal Inn, sign up to volunteer, learn about sponsorship opportunities, or donate, visit the Rock Hunger page on the NFSB website!
