Frank Charles Mayes

Frank Charles Mayes was joyously born October 22, 1942 in Raleigh, North Carolina and sadly, passed away on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at the age of 82 at Ochsner Medical Center in Jefferson, Louisiana.

At his birth, his doctor exclaimed "Look at the chest on this boy" an accurate omen to the life he would live as a professional woodwind musician. As an only child, Frank's early years were filled with his loving parents, relatives, friends, music and discovering the amazing world around him. He later began piano and also saxophone lessons while at Daniels Junior High School. It was during this time that Frank's parents took him to New York City, where they attended a Louis Armstrong concert. Young Frank met Louis Armstrong after the concert, who along with his band members, all signed his program. Frank always remembered and was deeply inspired by the look of love in Armstrong's eyes as he spoke to the young saxophone player. Frank attended Broughton High School performing in the concert, marching and jazz bands, while also performing for dances and learning wind instrument repair from Ronald Debnam at Burrage Music Store. One of his fondest memories was performing for the presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy, with the Broughton band when Kennedy campaigned in Raleigh, championing a need for the National Endowments of the Arts.

In 1961, Frank left Raleigh to study music at North Texas University (now University of North Texas) in Denton. He immersed himself in music, studying, meeting fellow musicians and performing with musicians he had only heard of on records, movies and television, such as Phil Harris, Tex Beneke and Gretchen Wyler at venues like the Balinese Room in Galveston, Texas. He also performed with the Joe Reichman Orchestra during college, traveling throughout the state of Texas and beyond. After graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Music in 1966, he left Denton for Los Angeles, California, via Las Vegas and San Francisco.

From 1966-1977, Frank thrived musically, performing, recording, touring with bands and teaching music. Frank studied woodwinds with renowned studio woodwind doubler, William (Bill) Green. Bands included Delaney, Bonnie & Friends, the Beach Boys, the George Clinton Band, the Fraternity of Man (song used in "Easy Rider"), the train tour and later documentary (2003) "Festival Express" and an episode of "Medical Center." Musicians he became friends with and/or performed with included Duane Allman, Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack, Doug Sahm, King Curtis, Rita Coolidge, Jerry Reed, Graham Bond, Charlie Brent, Little Richard, Mac Davis, The Supremes, and many others. He taught at the Sherman School of Music and Arts in Los Angeles with such luminaries as Milton Green, Steve Haberman and Morey Del. Near the end of his Los Angeles sojourn, Frank received his Master of Arts in Clarinet Performance from California State University of Northridge (CSUN).

Frank moved back to Raleigh in 1977 to be near his parents and continued to perform and teach music in the Triangle area. He was hired to teach music full-time at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, NC. In 1980 Frank and his parents decided to visit Pensacola, Florida, his father's birthplace. Invited by a dear fellow saxophone player and friend, Mike Hansen, from their days at North Texas, to bring his alto saxophone to sit in at a big band rehearsal, Frank met his future wife, Cindy Sollie, also a woodwind doubler, who played also sax in the band (the Roy Russell/Ron Craig Big Band). They fell in love and married the following January 3, 1981, spending their honeymoon in New Orleans. In addition to his full-time teaching, they performed and recorded together throughout North Carolina, Virginia and Florida, including a PBS documentary about saving the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (NC).

Their next move was to New Orleans, Louisiana. Charlie Brent, who Frank played with in LA on the George Clinton album and was living in his hometown now, soon involved them in performing and recording. Their first recording in New Orleans was Allen Toussaint's "Creole Christmas" album (1986) behind Allen Toussaint, Leslie Smith and Aaron Neville. Throughout the rest of his life, Frank (and Cindy) performed and/or recorded with Chuck Eastering's Swingaphonic Orchestra, Al Bellotto's Big Jazz Band, Dave Bartholomew's Big Band, the Kid Johnson Orchestra, Dave Hansen's Big Band, Luther Kent, "Gentleman" June Gardner, Ronnie Kole, "Lucious" Loyd Lambert, the Temptations, Clark Terry, the O'Jay's, the Four Tops, the Dells, Lucy Arnez, Lou Rawls, Rita Coolidge and many other groups, including Mayes2, their duo, who released a CD in 2008. Venues included the Jazz & Heritage Festivals ("Jazz Fest"), French Quarter Festivals, Bourbon Street, Snug Harbor, numerous Mardi Gras Balls, clubs, City Park gigs, weddings, churches, Senior Centers, private events and more. For more than five years, Frank played tenor saxophone regularly on Bourbon Street with Frankie "Nola" Lacour.

A proud Life Time member of the American Federation of Musicians since 1957, Frank Mayes served on the Executive Board of AFM Local 174-496 New Orleans from 2006 following Hurricane Katrina to 2023 and also served years on the Recruitment and Education Committees. As a professor in New Orleans, Frank taught Woodwinds, Woodwind Methods, Jazz in American Culture and Recording at Loyola University in New Orleans (1990-2015), Xavier University (1988-2007) and Delgado Community College (2006-2009).

Frank is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Cindy Sollie Mayes, his cousin Keith Baker (Pensacola, FL) and his extended family, in-laws Fred Sollie (Clermont, FL), Iris and Bruce Plowman (Kewanna, IN) and Betty and Tom Turnipseed (Milton, FL). Also survived by many other loving relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Albert Mayes and Mary Burns Mayes, his uncles Dana Burns, Howard and Lewey Mayes, aunts Margaret Burns, Margarita Mayes, cousin Karen Baker and in-law Elizabeth Sollie.

Relatives, friends and those who knew him are invited to attend the Celebration of Life at the New Orleans Musicians Union Hall, 2555 Ursuline Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119 on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 (Frank's birthday) from 4-6 pm. As Frank, per his wishes, was cremated, his ashes will be privately scattered at a later date and locations.

The family would like to thank all of the caring doctors, nurses and staff at Touro Infirmary and Chateau de Notre Dame for their loving care and concern in his last days.

Online guest book is available at https://neptunesociety.com/locations/louisiana/new-orleans-cremation-1110.