Ian Franklin Wilkerson is an eclectic singer/songwriter and guitarist out of the San Francisco Bay Area, performing as an acoustic solo artist and with his band. He is inspired by many types of music – fueling a diverse sound – a style uniquely his own, never void of passion and full of charisma. He mixes the best of roots-rock, funk, jazz, blues and folk - a new genre he calls "Eclectic Pop-Rock." Franklin writes songs of both fantasy and personal life experience, and is passionate about using his art as a channel for communicating with the masses – promoting awareness about issues that he feels deserve attention or simply helping to provide his fans with temporary relief from the daily stressors of life.
Originally from Santa Rosa, CA, Franklin has performed with a variety of ensembles throughout the San Francisco Bay Area since 1994, and he has shared the stage with many great acts. In 1995, Franklin formed the band Gollum, a fusion rock-funk and hip-hop group. The band found great success in Northern California between 1995-1998. Following this 3-year musical stint Franklin quickly formed another project called Cory's Slug. In 2001 Franklin teamed up with his good friend Frank ‘Side-Burns’ Sanders to record IF’s live acoustic E.P., “Finley Swims.” This same year Ian joined up with a separate power trio called Wish, an instrumental ambient tribal-rock group. In 2002, Wish released the album “Full,” culled from countless jam sessions in a WWII bombshell bunker. After the release of “Full” and performing to a sold out crowd at the River Theatre in Guerneville, CA, Franklin shipped off to Boston, MA, where he earned his Bachelors degree in Music Therapy and Songwriting.
Franklin is also the visionary and front man behind the jazz-funk and groove-rock collaborative known as Infinite Frequency. They released their debut CD, "What If...," in May of 2006 and performed throughout the North Eastern United States, taking first place in the Boston Regional Global Battle of the Bands and performing in the National Finals at the Key Club in Hollywood, CA. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2007, Franklin continued to tour throughout the North East United States before moving back home to California in 2008. Since his return home Franklin has been performing throughout the west coast feeding his muse and writing a whole new catalogue.
Franklin just released two new singles from his forthcoming full length debut, “Don’t Do Me Like That” and “Baby I Got Your Fix.” The full-length album is expected out early 2011. Stay tuned for much more with this rising star.
