FRANK CAPPELLI

Frank is a warm, engaging artist who possesses the special ability to transform the simple things in a child's life into a wonderful musical experience. Frank's career has grown from his life-long love of music. He discovered the magic of performing as a young teenager where he sang and played his guitar in the nightclubs around Pittsburgh, on one fortuitous night he even sang with Duke Ellington. As a freshman in high school he played Rolf in the Mt.Lebanon High School's production of "Sound of Music". As a senior he was Herald Hill in "The Music Man". In college, West Chester State University, while earning his B.A. In Music Education, he played Sky Masterson in his college production of "Guys and Dolls". His first experience with teaching young children was while in college as a music student teacher. Later he wrote and developed more songs for his own children .... And children and their parents have been grateful ever since.

In the 70's just out of college, he and his soon to be wife, Patricia, started a company in Pittsburgh called, Horsefeathers. Most Pittsburghers remember Horesfeathers as the first truly Singing Telegram Company since Western Union. After five hilarious and financially rewarding years they sold the company to move West.
In the late 80's Frank and family returned to Pittsburgh and shortly thereafter Frank entered the field of children's entertainment forming Peanut Heaven, a record label for children. The goal of the company was to produce quality audio cassettes designed to entertain, while at the same time subtly educate young children. Within a few months Cappelli joined forces with WTAE-TV (the Pittsburgh based ABC affiliate owned by Hearst/Argyle Broadcasting) and together they developed "Cappelli & Company", a children's television variety show hosted by Frank Cappelli. The weekly television show premiered May 27th, 1989. In the following years it was syndicated to network affiliate stations through out the Hearst/Argyle system. In April of 1993 it started airing mornings Monday through Friday on Nickelodeon, and the Children's Cable Network which is broadcast into 57 million homes. It aired on Nickelodeon in 1993-1994. It continued to air on the Hearst/Argyle system and ran for 14 years on WTAE-TV until the fall of 2003.

While enjoying a great run on broadcast and cable television, "Cappelli & Co." won 2 Emmys for quality children's programming and 2 national Gabriel awards for children's television. Frank also a national recording artist and released 6 audio cassettes and 2 video cassettes. Both the audios and videos have been honored with numerous Parent Choice awards.

In the late 1990's Frank was invited to develop a pilot for a new children's series for the PBS network called "Frank's Garage". The pilot is truly an amazing show the achieved the goals of entertaining the audience and ever so gently educating them at the same time. Frank is currently working with a number of different entertainment partners to make the pilot into a new series for children. Throughout the past 14 years Frank has traveled extensively all over the country performing in concert for young children.

Live in concert, whether alone or with a symphony orchestra, Frank's truly unique style is augmented his infectious love of music and performing before a live audience. His trademark “sing-alongs” always seem to generate enthusiastic participation from concert-goers. As television host on the award winning, “Cappelli & Co.” and critically acclaimed national children's recording artist, Frank Cappelli is fast finding a place in the hearts of the young and the young at heart.