Frankie Hart: Goddess of Psych Pop, Queen of Elegance

Franki Hart is a multifaceted Canadian vocalist, instrumentalist, and songwriter whose musical journey spans folk, psych-rock, studio pop, and modern jazz. Her voice—a mix of raw vulnerability and soulful precision—has anchored some of Canada’s most compelling yet underappreciated music from the late 1960s onward.

Early Years and Les Sirocco
Hart’s career began in Montreal in 1967, when she formed The Sirocco Singers (later Les Sirocco) with friends Hélène Vanier and Francine Jarry. The trio—three young secretaries with backgrounds in piano and a shared passion for song—entered a televised talent competition on CFCF-TV and won the grand prize. This led to a flurry of TV appearances, performances at venues like New York’s Lambs Club, and even interest from Ed Sullivan-affiliated producers. Known for their multilingual repertoire and sophisticated vocal blends, Les Sirocco released several singles and became a short-lived but high-profile presence on the Canadian folk-pop scene.

Freedom North and Psychedelic Breakthrough
After Les Sirocco disbanded, Hart co-founded the genre-defying rock group Freedom North in 1969 with guitarist Bill Hill, bassist Les Leroux, rhythm guitarist Rick St. Jean, and drummer Eddie Kaye. Their self-titled album, released in 1970, became the first LP issued by Aquarius Records and included the standout single "Dr. Tom"—a fuzz-drenched, acid-rock anthem that gained national traction. The LP veered across pop, psych, and country-rock influences, with Hart’s emotive vocals at the core of its strongest tracks. The group briefly rebranded as Freedom of Choice for international release before disbanding.

Life and Studio Experimentation
In 1969, Hart lent her talents to Life, the ambitious studio project of Neil Sheppard. Recorded at Montreal’s Stereo Sound Studios and Andre Perry’s groundbreaking eight-track setup, Life's lone LP fused psych, funk, and jazz with elaborate production values. Hart appears as a featured vocalist on the record, which has since become a cult favorite for its imaginative arrangements and period-defining sound. The album included contributions from Michael Ship, J.P. Lauzon, Barry Albert, and future Santana drummer Graham Lear.

Riverson: Folk-Psych Elegance
Hart’s next major project, Riverson, brought her together with Rayburn Blake and Brian Edwards—two core members of Mashmakhan. With drummer Graham Lear and later Michael Berman, the band recorded a polished, introspective album at Manta Sound in Toronto, released by Columbia Records in 1973. Blending folk lyricism with West Coast psych and chamber pop textures, Riverson’s self-titled LP is now considered a Canadian cult classic. Hart’s vocal performances on “Can’t Live Without You” and “Eleanor Rigby” stand among her finest recorded work.

Later Years: From Lounge to Lola Dutronic
Relocating to Vancouver in 1980, Hart performed regularly as a solo act and worked on various studio projects. She eventually moved to Toronto in 1986, where she began a long creative partnership with Richard Citroen, becoming the original voice of the retro-futurist electro-pop act Lola Dutronic. Their music, including tracks featured on international television shows, presented Hart in a new light—sensual, cool, and detached, echoing the stylings of Serge Gainsbourg and Francoise Hardy.

Jazz and Legacy Work
In the 2000s, Hart shifted her focus to jazz, hosting a long-running series of vocal jam sessions in Etobicoke and arranging charts for live combos. She became a respected interpreter of standards and an encouraging mentor within the Toronto music scene. She continued to collaborate with musicians like Bob Cohen, David Woodhead, Doug Wilde, and Ambrose Pottie until the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed live performances.

Today, Franki Hart remains active as a songwriter and recording artist, working from her home studio and planning new releases. Her legacy—spanning five decades of Canadian music history—continues to resonate with collectors, connoisseurs, and fans of female-fronted psych and pop.
-Robert Williston

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