- Date Of Birth: April 23, 1930
- Date Of Death: September 13, 2014
- State: New Jersey
A Man of Faith, Strength and Wisdom
Family-focused, faith-filled, wise, strong and compassionate are all words that described Marion “Boo” Frazier- a dedicated husband and father, a renowned music executive and a loyal friend. Marion was born in Cheraw, South Carolina on April 23, 1930, the first of five children born to Erma Samuels Frazier and Edward Frazier. He was endowed with a rich legacy of faith, family, leadership and known for his profound spiritual focus.
Marion attended Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Winston-Salem State University. He enlisted in the United States Army and did a tour in Korea. After leaving the army he moved to New York to attend Cambridge School of Radio and TV Broadcasting where he learned foundational skills that served him well throughout his career in the music industry. He returned to Winston-Salem and became a radio announcer for WAIR. By 1958 he relocated to Corona, Queens to travel with John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie. Marion toured the world with Dizzy Gillespie and his band as tour manager. From these two experiences his journey with the music industry was launched. Marion’s promotional, sales/marketing, and artist and development skills with Chess, Perception, Mercury, Polygram and A & M Records are legendary. He trained and mentored many individuals that wanted to know how to make it successfully in the business aspect of the music industry.
In 1965 he married Brenda Hemphill and they resided in Bergen County, NJ. They had five children Cheryl, Brandon and Tai, one daughter-in-law Sandra and two grandchildren, Tatum and Braydon. He was preceded in death by two children, Takiya and Marion, Jr. and his brother, Edward Frazier. More than his love of music was his passion for his family. Marion had a unique quality of not only raising his own children but also being a role model and father figure for many of his children’s friends.
Marion leaves a legacy of love to Brenda, Cheryl, Brandon, Tai, Sandra, Tatum, Braydon, his three sisters, Willa F. Lash, Elaine F. Brown, Loretta (Major) Hairston, one brother, Tobbie Frazier, many nieces and nephews and three truly loyal friends, Irene Ware, Jesus Garber and Al Jones.
With an aligned soul and personality, the intentions of the spirit flow through you like the breath of a musician through a trumpet and when this occurs you cannot tell where the personality ends and the spirit begins – this was Marion’s secret and his everlasting legacy.
