Frank William O'Keefe
Bass guitar, vocals

Photo taken at The Bottom Line, New York City, 1975
courtesy of Smokin' Joe Ondris

If you have been enjoying this website, you owe it to Frank O'Keefe.  Why to Frank?  As I looked around different websites related to the band on the internet two years ago while working on a scrapbook of my Outlaws stuff, I became very upset at the either total lack of anything much about Frank in the pages I was seeing.  It was because of this that I began what started out to be a Frank O'Keefe tribute page, and developed into this website.

On the pages I was finding, they either mentioned only his name or portrayed him as some drugged out guy who made little or no contribution to the band, who did little and cared about nothing.  There's no story further from the truth and if you learn nothing else from this site, KNOW THIS.  Frank's contributions to the band were emmense and he cared  rofoundly about a great many things.  His death left a large void in the world which nobody else can ever fill.

Frank was born in Chicago IL on March 18, 1950.  Note, the original  lyrics to "Keep Prayin'" I believe started out "I was born in Chicago, grew up a rolling stone"...later it became "I was born in Boston" and by the time it hit "The Outlaws" album it was "I was born in the Southland" .  Though not credited on the recorded version as such, "Keep Prayin' was an old 60's Outlaws song which I heard on many occasions announced as having been written by Frank O'Keefe and Herb Pino.

And he could SING...as well or better than most everyone in the band, and while folks knew him as a bass player, played a bad-ass acoustic guitar and did a brief stint as the rhythm player in the band.  In fact, in 1966 and 1967 Frank was a member of the Concert Choir at Largo High School.  This group required solo auditions for gaining a spot, and Frank didn't have any problem getting in. (see link to yearbook photos later in page). Though he left high school after this to pursue music, he did eventually go back and obtain his GED, and according to his mother was making plans to take some classes at Clearwater Community College at the time of his death.

During his early days in the Outlaws, Frank met and married Pam Dix, sister of drummer David Dix. Sadly, Pamela Dix O'Keefe was struck by a car and killed in September of 1984.  The couple had one daughter, Shannon, who now resides in south Florida.
 

Pam and Frank O'Keefe 1972 Clearwater FL

Pamela Dix O'Keefe and daughter Shannon at Hughie's wedding reception (I know it's blurry-I got extremely drunk....plus I  took this off an old contact sheet--I'll try to get a better print done at a later date)

Frank obviously knew he was going to make his mark on the world--in 1972 he "autographed" the bathroom of the small apartment J.B. and I were sharing behind O'Keefe's Tap Room. Clearly he had a sense of humor. Note the creative use of common household items (razor, toothbrush, hairclip, toilet paper, sponge and washclothes) used to leave this artistic masterpiece....

Frank was extremely artistic and very, very talented.  He had an ear for music and an eye for art and nature that most people will never approach.  He also was much better about spotting potential disasters in other people's lives than he was in his own. On more than one instance he got MY life in focus.  As an example, in 1973, Frank talked me out of getting married to someone I hadn't known for very long--he was right on target---I broke the engagement and a week later the guy married someone else.   Turned out he had  some money coming upon his marriage---the gal he married was dumped as soon it was   collected.  Frank had never MET this person, but he had a "sixth sense" (and a loyalty to  J.B....)  Thanks to Frank, it wasn't ME the money grabber dumped.  I guess his words held some credence (see the 1973 photo of me and J.B. on the James Britton page)

During one of his longer periods of sobriety Frank was the leader of an AA group--saved a few folks from  his OWN ultimate fate who said NOBODY could help them.  I'll admit to being someone who walked into that group having no idea he was the group leader.  Both of us just sort of stared at each other for a moment, smiled, and then he went right on with the meeting.  About 2/3 of the way through the meeting some guy said "well, I'm sure your problems weren't as serious as mine-I bet you didn't even need to go to rehab".  Frank looked at me for a moment, then told the guy "There's a person in this meeting that has personally taken me to rehab at least three times" and looked at me again as if to say "will you help me talk to this guy"...I nodded and he then proceeded to tell the guy that if he'd stay after the meeting he would introduce him to someone who could tell him that he DID know what the problems were like.  We talked to this guy for about 45 minutes after the session and he did continue on a road to sobriety.

Frank had a soft spot for "critters" of all kinds--in 1972 he scaled a rather substantial pine tree near the home of J.B.'s mom after hearing cries of a small kitten (there were tons of "wild" cats living in the area of the  house). Said kitten was rescued and presented to me as a gift  Sadly, a utility company worker  accidentally let the kitten out  about 5-6 months later and it was never seen again. I really think dogs were his "critter" of choice though....he had this Siberian Husky for awhile that he loved but I couldn't stand that dog...

Life on the road took a heavy toll on Frank's health and he ultimately left the band after after sustaining a broken neck in a fall in July of 1976. As a result, he relied on pain killers for the rest of his life.

Despite this injury, he worked for many years as a painter and for a time owned his own business as a painting contractor.  He also became an accomplished nature photography with his own darkroom and was continued to play guitar and write songs. A recent songbook was found among his possessions at the time of his death.

Frank's biggest problem in adult life was his long battle with drug and alcohol abuse.  No matter how he fought it, it would somehow regain control in his life, and ultimately is attributed to ending it.  But it was NOT his entire life.

On this website, you will be able to read an article which appeared in the St Petersburg Times several months after Frank's death.  The complete article is being posted with the permission of the St Pete Times.  We thank them for allowing the article to be brought to you online.  There are some things in it which I feel or KNOW are not 100% accurate, but there are things in there folks SHOULD know about Frank, like that he was a good hard worker, people liked him, and he'd do anything for those he loved, when he, and not drugs or alcohol, was in control.  It should be made very clear here that in the article the police officer says he felt that this was a suicide.  I don't know a single person (family member or friend) who agrees with this officer's statement.

He was a damned good friend, and  he is sadly missed by all who knew him.

Frank O'Keefe, 44, former bassist for the Southern rock band the Outlaws, was found dead in his Clearwater home Sunday morning. The cause of death was not determined, pending results of toxicology tests. Clearwater police spokesman Wayne Shelor said empty beer cans and prescription drug bottles were scattered on the floor of the bedroom at 901 N Fort Harrison Ave. where O'Keefe's body was discovered by his roommate, Raymond Szweda, at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. O'Keefe is the second former member of the Outlaws to die in the past month. Guitarist Billy Jones, 44, of Spring Hill died Feb. 7 of undetermined causes.

O'KEEFE, FRANK, 44 of Clearwater, died Sunday (Feb. 26, 1995) at home.  He moved here in 1954 from his native Chicago.  He was a musician and an original member of the Outlaws, a Southern rock band based in Tampa.  He was a Catholic.  Survivors included his mother, Dolores O'Keefe, a brother, Michael,two sisters, Kathleen O'Keefe and Colleen O'Keefe, a daughter, Shannon O'Keefe, a grandson, Christopher O'Keefe, and a companion, Cindy Johnopoulous, all of Clearwater.  Professional Cremation Service, Pinellas Park.

Note:  Frank's ashes were set to rest in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Clearwater Beach Florida.

Photos of Frank O'Keefe as an Outlaw           (from my personal collections-also see the Herb Pino pics as Frank is in some
                                                                                       of those as well)   (use back button to return to this site)
Photos of Frank's early  Musical Outings       (from Largo High School Yearbook)

Those Five-A '60s group Frank played in        Rare photos and relics of a lost '60s band which Frank played with--you diehards
                                                                                        who have read this site may recognize some of the other band members....

O'Keefe's Tap Room, Clearwater FL               (est. 1961 by Frank's dad, an early hangout...)

Green Grass and High Tides Aren't Forever   (used by permission of St Petersburg Times)

Tom G's Outlaws site-Frank O'Keefe Page     (more old photos)