Frankie Ford (1939 - 2015), Sea Cruise singer

Frankie Ford, a singer who enjoyed some success in the 1950s as a rock 'n' roll and rhythm-and-blues star, has died after a long illness, according to multiple news sources. Ford, who went on to become a New Orleans icon, died Monday, Sept. 28. He was 76. The specific cause of death was not immediately available. Ford's big break came in 1952, on "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour" TV program. He had a hit in 1959 with "Sea Cruise." The recording went on to sell more than 1 million copies, hitting No. 14 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Although Ford's success was short-lived, he continued recording through the 1980s.