Every time June rolls around, it makes me smile. Black Music Month returns and reminds everyone what the real ones already know- the black experience is not a monolith and without Black musicians, the world wouldn’t be the same. One such musician who entered my collection via a college borrowed “Love Stories” CD during an influential, impressionable time is Frank McComb. From jump, the velvet voice and unparalleled piano playing caught my attention and guaranteed there’d be multiple plays of any music in his self-distributed discography he’d drop over the decades. Starting 2026 off happily scouring the NAMM Show exhibit pages, planning my music itinerary for the week, when I saw Frank McComb’s name, I knew there’s no way I’d miss his performance there. Catching his soulful Saturday afternoon show remained the perfect way to cap off an epic conference.

I caught up with Frank earlier in 2026 to discuss his childhood in Cleveland meeting Wynton and Ellis Marsalis in performing arts school, his unforgettable moments with Prince as those in the Purple Army celebrate his birthday this month (listen to us swap Prince stories), his time in Philly with Gamble and Huff, playing with EWF’s Philip Bailey and Teena Marie, recording a live album at the historic Bitter End in NYC, getting advice from Roy Ayers and George Benson, what we’d be surprised to know about him, plans for new music and more. Listen to the soundclips below and don’t forget to catch Frank live this summer around the world and stateside HERE!