Terrie Frankel

Meet Terrie Frankel. She is a New York Times Best Selling Author, Producer and Songwriter. Terrie and her identical twin sister Jennie were Doublemint Twins in the late ‘60s, before performing with the United Serviceman’s Organization (USO) in Vietnam. She served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Producers Guild of America and is presently a member of the Recording Academy (Grammy’s), ASCAP, and a Lifetime Associate Member of the Sedona Marine Corps League. In 2014 Terrie was presented with the Vietnam Veterans of America President’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, an honor previously given to Bob Hope. And in 2018 she received the Albert Nelson “Marquis Who’s Who” Lifetime Achievement Award. Terrie and her partner Fred Shinn are true Sedona Personalities…. You’ll see them everywhere, and they make a fantastic contribution to the community.

I wanted to ask Terrie about her current passions and projects that she is working on… She said… ‘I like writing music and editing videos!’…  Her history in the entertainment world is still a big part of her life, as reflected in her Terrie Frankel YouTube Channel where you can find several songs she has written with Fred, including: “Everyone Needs a Hero”, “Sedona Your Heart Is Mine” and “Here’s To You, Red White and Blue.”

Terrie is also involved in several charity organizations throughout the Verde Valley, including the Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity’s ‘Terrie Frankel Endowment for Critical Home Repair for Veterans’.  There are benches honoring her and her twin sister at the Sedona Military Service Park (located next to the Bank of America) and the Verde Valley Military Service Park in Cottonwood, Arizona. Terrie has been on the committee of the Verde Valley Military Service Park from its beginning and she believes it to be one of the most beautiful Military Service Parks in the world. Dedicated on Memorial Day 2020, Terrie tells me, “The VVMSP will have the only USO monument in the United States!” The granite monument – designed by Geoffrey Ball (Lucille Ball’s nephew) and spearheaded by Dave Blauert and James Iacovacci – will feature Terrie and her twin Jennie in Vietnam as well as other USO performers from the Verde Valley, including: Lucille Ball, Mickey Rooney, Anne Miller, Jane Russell and Shondra and Tom Jepperson.

Here’s what Terrie said when I asked her to tell me about Terrie Frankel and the Doublemint Twins:

In 1966 my father wrote a letter to William Wrigley Jr, and he said I have 2 very talented twins that can sing, play accordion, guitar and clarinet. We auditioned and we were hired. That led us to Vietnam in 1968.

Terrie lives in a very special house that is an icon in Sedona, located above the Oak Creek Bridge Roundabout, across from Wendy Lippman’s Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.  It’s called the ‘House Of Seven Arches’… and is also known as ‘Lucy’s House’ and ‘Hollywood House’! At one time Lucille Ball owned the entire hillside where the house was built. The home has an International EarthCam on the balcony (SedonaSevenArchesLive.com) that has had nearly 9 million views to date!

Terrie is presently an Honorary Commander at Luke Air Force Base for both the 944th Fighter Wing Aeromedical Staging Squadron and the 944th Fighter Wing Medical Squadron, both Squadrons consist of doctors, nurses and EMTs. She is the only Honorary Commander to have received a Lifetime Honorary Commander Award from Luke AFB.

Terrie has lived in Sedona for 26 years and along with Fred created their famous “Freddy Frankel Sauce” found only at Craig Nimtz’s “Senor Bob’s Hot Dogs!”

Terrie’s favorite thing about Sedona is how it changes visually from day to day, season to season. She says, “Being in Sedona fills my soul!”

Terrie Frankel loves this community and she gives of herself every day… it is such a pleasure to call her my friend.

Jonelle Klein

 

 

5 Comments

  • Rod Goebel

    March 12, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    I am the Vice Chair for Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity and really enjoyed this article on my friend Terrie… she is such a giving sweet soul. If there were a Mr. And Mrs. Sedona it would be Fred and Terrie !! (they don’t have to be married to qualify for that designation)

    Reply
    • Jonelle Klein

      March 13, 2020 at 2:16 am

      Hi Rod,
      I agree, they are two of my most favorite people! The first couple we met when we moved to Sedona seven years ago.
      We would love to have you participate in our project. It is a fifteen minute interview and a picture taken by Gary Glenn. Please let me know!
      Jonelle Klein
      510-508-8343

      Reply
  • Janice Barrett

    June 9, 2023 at 10:22 am

    I have written a book about a USO entertainer in 1968 Vietnam. She is 79 and looking back at her experience and how it effected her life. It is being traditionally published with a release date of October 1, 2023. I have found the perfect picture of Jennie and Terri Frankel entertaining the troops and would be honoured to have it for my cover. How would I contact them to get permission and to pay their usual
    Price for usage. If you could get me in touch with them, I would be so grateful. Thanks for your help.

    Reply

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