Frances L. Wallace papers

Frances Lee Wallace (1921-2001) grew up in the Atlanta area of Lakeland Heights. A piano student since childhood, she began playing professionally in about 1940, when she was hired to play in the basement of Davison's department store in downtown Atlanta. Soon afterwards she began performing frequently on piano and organ on WSB, WAGA and WCON radio, as well as at the Roxy theater, Rich's and Davison's department stores, nightclubs, synagogues and churches. She made notable appearances with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra during the late 1940s and 1950s; she began a long relationship with Ahavath Achim synagogue in the mid 1940s, a relationship she continued for more than 40 years; she provided the accompaniment for silent film showings in Atlanta; and she formed and directed her own musical groups, which played at a variety of venues such as weddings, nightclubs, and fashion shows from the 1940s to 1980s. Ill health forced her to abandon her long musical career in the early 1990s, but she continued to perform occasionally at private parties until about 1992.

During her musical career Wallace became good friends with Frank Power, one of the staff arrangers and brass players for the Atlanta Pops Orchestra. She performed frequently with several notable Atlanta musicians, especially Albert Coleman, and she played for many well-known Atlantans, including Ivan Allen.

Wallace was married briefly (circa 1940-circa 1942) to Walter Stokes, a singer with whom she performed frequently during this period.