Frankie Valens, former rock musician, now pastoring in Syracuse

By Carol Roberts

First printed in The Syracuse Journal. Reprinted with permission.

Known for songs such as “This Magic Moment,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Frankie Valens’ music is recognized by many, but his personal story outside of the music business has been more private. Fewer people know Valens for his love for God and the desire of he and his wife Phyllis to serve God. It is for religious reasons that Frankie and Phyllis Valens are now residents of Syracuse, and why this former pop singer is now Pastor.

Valens was well known in the late 1960’s to the early ‘70s for his songs and enjoyed widespread popularity. Valens was one of the ones discovered by accident. As he was working in a store one day and humming, a band manager heard him and asked him to audition for a band, Eminent Domain. Valens auditioned for the band by singing “Unchained Melody.” He was immediately signed with the band, singing with them in addition to working a full-time job and a part-time job.

For several years, Valens and the band had a successful run. Then in 1971 Valens, grew disenchanted with the life he was living. He suffered a downward spiral in his career because of his manager, and he finally called it quits. He put to use the accounting degree he had received while touring with the band and dropped out of the public eye for several years.

Growing up as a preacher’s kid, Valens knew he needed God in his life again. He started attending a church in Colorado, where he met his wife Phyllis. For several years Valens didn’t even tell her what he had done before they met. Today he uses his singing talents for God.

Phyllis, another preacher’s kid, is also musically inclined, and she has written several songs for vacation bible school curricula.

While many in Syracuse know of Frankie Valens, they may not realize that Valens has a history with Syracuse. Frankie Valens was born Frankie Piper, and his father, Bernie Piper, pastored First Christian Church in Syracuse in 1978-79. Frankie changed his name from Piper to Valens when he was performing, and it is now his legal name. Valens’ own path to Syracuse can only be explained as guided by divine intervention.

“I had a concert scheduled for a seminar in Hutchison, and it had been scheduled for a year and a half,” Valens said. “I kept seeing this cute little lady waving at me, and I would smile and wave back.”

That lady turned out to be Pauline Fecht. Fecht, her daughter and granddaughter were attending the seminar, and Fecht knew who Frankie Valens and his dad were. She finally walked over to Valens and introduced herself.

“She came over and told me that she was from Syracuse, and she knew my dad. She and my mom had been the best of friends,” Valens said.

In the conversation, Fecht told him that the First Christian Church that his dad had pastored had been without a pastor for two and a half years, and they needed someone to come to pastor the church. Fecht invited him out to Syracuse. Travel arrangements were made, a date was set, and Valens and his wife set out for Syracuse to put on a concert and preach for a call. The concert almost fell through when the heater at the church went out, but repairs were made just in time.

“After that meeting, we drove home talking about the possibilities. We just got more and more excited about it,” Phyllis Valens said.

While the position of pastor is a new one for Valens, he is not wasting any time getting to work.

Valens has already been involved in the lighting of the town Christmas tree, and he participated in the community prayer walk. He is also making plans for what he will be doing at the church.

“We will be making a few changes, just a little at a time,” Valens said. “We will be visiting people and getting to know everyone better.”

One change they hope to make is to bring back the free bread ministry the church once hosted.

They are already checking into it how to bring it back.

“We are just real glad to be here,” Valens said. “It was definitely God working to bring us here.”

In addition to his musical and pastoral accomplishments, Frankie has also authored several books.

“Chasing An Illusive Dream”

Publication Date: October 31, 2011

Frankie Valen’s autobiography, “Chasing An Illusive Dream,” is a story that contains the drama and pathos that inspired the old cliché, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” This story of a pop-singer is about fame and the loss of it, separation from family and children, and a dramatic return to the Lord.

“Facing A Dark Victory”

Publication Date: June 21, 2012

Former pop-singer and author, Frankie Valens, has come up with a suspenseful novel that ties some of the characters and story lines of the trilogy he has already written into a riveting story in the year 1919 that tells of a body that has to be exhumed, but things go awry when the funeral director loses his grip on the body.

“Helga’s Midnight Rose Book”

Publication Date:February 20, 2012

Author Frankie Valens has come up with a delightful story in this book, the third part of a trilogy. Helga’s Midnight Rose ties all the characters and story lines of the two previous books together. His first novel of the series is “Wilhelmine’s Viabilities.” And the second one is “Helmut’s Pilgrimage.” Each book leads to the next book, even though each one can stand on its own.

“Helmut’s Pilgirmage”

Publication Date:February 20, 2012

This is a fictional book based upon rumors and tales that had been handed town in my family from one generation to another. Some events did occur, but it’s up to the reader to try and determine facts from fiction in a story that has many twists.

“Wihelmine’s Viabilities”

The author of “Wilhelmine’s Viabilities” has researched history, starting in the year 1796 in Poland, to create a novel based upon actual events and places, but mixed with a lot of fiction. It’s up to the reader to try and figure it all out. Follow Princess Wilhelmine and her twin brother, Prince Frederick after they are shipped to America because Germany was threatening war with Poland, and their lives have been threatened.