Historically, Frank is a transitional figure, coming between the strict format of traditional bluegrass and the wide-open spaces being explored by today's young musicians. Ever since the release of his first original tune, "New Camptown Races" in 1953 at the age of nineteen helped revolutionize the sound of bluegrass music, Frank has constantly been exploring new musical frontiers, paving the way for other musicians.

Frank Wakefield's shows are famous for the power and raw beauty of his mandolin playing and his liveliness and humor on stage. His performances cover a wide range of music running the gamut from bluegrass to classical, and include many of Frank's own incredibly beautiful tunes. Frank continues performing, writing new tunes and recording with the same exuberance and creativity of that young nineteen-year-old mandolin player who wrote New Camptown Races so many years ago back in 1953.

Besides his own recordings and performances, Frank has also performed and collaborated with a broad spectrum of musicians, from country and bluegrass artists to pop and rock performers. Some of these include Red Allen, Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Martin, Don Reno, Chubby Wise, The Greenbriar Boys, Don McLean, Jerry Garcia, The New Riders of the Purple Sage, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Tony Rice, Mike Seeger, Mike Auldridge and Linda Ronstadt.

Frank currently records for Patuxent Music. His recordings on Patuxent Music include:

"Frank Wakefield: A Tribute to Bill Monroe" released in 2011. This is a great recording of some outstanding Bill Monroe songs and features terrific musicians including Tom Ewing on guitar and vocals, Audie Blaylock on vocals, Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Mark Delaney on banjo, Marshall Wilborn on bass, Tom Mindte on vocals and mandolin and Taylor Baker on mandolin.

"Frank Wakefield: Ownself Blues" is an all instrumental recording released in 2009. It includes eleven of Frank's original instrumentals as well as a Bach and Beethoven tune. This exciting recording truly runs the gamut from bluegrass to Beethoven. Playing either bluegrass or classical the band assembled for this recording is exceptional. Featured are Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Mike Munford on banjo, Audie Blaylock on rhythm guitar, Jordan Tice on lead guitar and Darrell Muller on bass. Special guests include Taylor Baker on mandolin, Nate Leath on fiddle and Jessie Baker on banjo.

"Frank Wakefield: Don’t Lie to Me" released in 2003 features fine vocals and instrumentals, including 5 songs written by Frank. The recording reunites Frank with some musicians who performed and recorded with Frank in the past. Bill Keith featured on banjo played with Frank and Red Allen in the 1960's and John Glick featured on fiddle played in Frank’s Good Ol’ Boys band back in the mid-1970’s.

"Frank Wakefield: Midnight on the Mandolin" released in 2000 includes a number of vocals and instrumentals written by Frank, many of which were not previously recorded.

A native of Emory Gap, Tennessee, Frank began his musical career in Dayton, Ohio in the early 1950’s when Red Allen was walking along a street in Dayton and saw a blond-headed young man sitting on a porch playing a beat-up old mandolin. Red asked: “Can you play that thing?” “A little bit,” Frank responded and thus began one of the greatest alliances in bluegrass. In the late 1950’s Frank and Red moved to the Washington, D.C. area where they continued to perform through the early 1960’s. This partnership recorded a number of sides for various labels, but it is their album for Folkways, "Red Allen, Frank Wakefield and the Kentuckians", produced by Frank’s then teenaged protégé, David Grisman, that is one of the acknowledged classics of bluegrass recording.

In the middle 1960’s Frank joined The Greenbriar Boys, a “city-grass” group. With Frank in the band they achieved a synthesis of the urban and rural sound and were one of the most popular groups in the folk music scene of the 1960’s. The band recorded an excellent album for Vanguard, "Better Late Than Never", which featured some of Frank’s original material. During this period Frank also performed with many of the greats of bluegrass and helped Ralph Stanley record his first album after the death of his brother, Carter Stanley.

After The Greenbriar Boys disbanded in 1968 Frank moved to Saratoga Springs, New York. Spending a lot of time performing alone, Frank developed a style of playing the mandolin as a solo instrument, using special tunings and elaborate picking techniques. Using this style, he is able to portray complete symphonic passages, creating a classical sound with separate movements and refrains. In 1972 Frank cut an outstanding album for Rounder, "Frank Wakefield", showcasing some of the new directions he was taking his music. During this time he also toured with Don McLean and played on his album for United Artists, "Don McLean, Playing Favorites".

While visiting in California in the mid 1970’s Frank met David Nelson of The New Riders of the Purple Sage. They developed a close personal friendship and Frank began sometimes performing with The New Riders of the Purple Sage and with The Grateful Dead. During this time Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead produced an album for United Artists, "Pistol Packin’ Mama" featuring Frank, David Nelson, Don Reno and Chubby Wise. The album bridged generations and musical styles by combining the talents of Frank and bluegrass greats Don Reno and Chubby Wise with those of country-rock singer and guitarist Nelson.

Upon returning to New York, Frank formed his own band, Frank Wakefield and the Good Ol’ Boys. The band played throughout the country for several years in the mid and late 1970’s and gained an enthusiastic following. It was with this band that Frank recorded an album for Flying Fish, "Frank Wakefield and the Good Ol’ Boys".

In 1978 Frank moved out to Oakland, California where he lived for the next six years. Frank put together a new band of top young San Francisco Bay Area musicians and toured throughout the U.S. and Canada. While out in California Frank wrote some exciting new tunes and recorded two more fine albums, featuring many of the best San Francisco Bay Area musicians on each. "End of the Rainbow", on Bay Records, contained a number of Frank’s own tunes and showed the innovative side of his music. "Blues Stay Away from Me", on Takoma Records, highlighted solid playing and singing and displayed the more traditional side of Frank’s music. The recording was reissued on CD in 2001 by King Tet Productions.

In 1984 Frank moved back to Saratoga Springs, New York where he continues to live.