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John Francis

John Francis Radio

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FEATURED SONG
The Beautiful One
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The Beautiful One
Album:
Released: Nov 9, 2010
Label:

General Info

  • Genre: Country / Folk / Rock

    Location Nashville / Philadelphia, Un

    Profile Views: 136590

    Last Login: 11/9/2011

    Member Since 5/23/2005

    Website www.johnfrancismusic.com

    Record Label Horse and Rider / Dualtone

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    Born in New York City and raised in rural Pennsylvania, John Francis started to show his musical gifts at an early age. The Gospel and Folk music of his upbringing happened on Sunday mornings swaying with the church choir, or at home gathered around the family piano with his mother at the helm. The son of musicians, and Christian ministers, Francis grew up playing music with his parents, in front of crowds. As a young child, John Francis was entranced by his father's Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and his mother's Neil Young, Dylan, and Sly & the Family Stone. He recalls, "the first cassette I owned was 'Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits', and I wore that cassette out quickly". ....At 12, Francis started writing, recording, and performing. At 18, he enrolled as a Literature and World Religions major at Messiah College near Harrisburg, PA. There he immersed himself in the classics of poetry and prose, honing his craft as a songwriter. During these years, John played guitar for Gospel band on Sunday mornings. After graduating, Francis traveled to Ireland where the musical traditions of his family his family homeland added more fuel to the fire. He made his home on the road for a few years, collecting songs from Appalachia to American-Indian reservations. ....Shortly after moving to Philadelphia, Francis released the critically acclaimed "Strong Wine & Spirits". With the single "Heavy, Heavy Love", the record garnered extensive radio play in the North East. Drawing on the deep waters of Rock n roll, Folk, Country, and Gospel music, Francis conjures the spirits of his eloquent brand of songwriting. ....Francis was honored by ASCAP as the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Sammy Cahn Lyricist Award, for his song "Love Came to Me Dressed in Red". Previous winners include Nicole Atkins, John Mayer, Josh Ritter, and Lori McKenna. ....Francis has played in subway stations and dive bars, churches and county fairs, Dublin street corners and Nashville honky-tonks, children's classrooms and the United Nations, prisons and hospitals, as well as listening rooms on the all over the US, Ireland, and Europe. ....He has shared the stage with Ray Lamontagne, Amos Lee, M. Ward, Josh Ritter, Suzanne Vega, Rachael Yamagata, Rickie Lee Jones, Andrew Bird, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Juana Molina, Peggy Seeger, Tom Paxton, James McMurtry, Missy Higgins, Ollabelle, Pedro the Lion, Denison Witmer, Dayna Kurtz, Kelley McRae, Amy Correia, Sonya Kitchell, Serena Ryder, Steve Forbert, Mark Geary, Phil Roy, Peter Mulvey, Kris Delmhorst, Freedy Johnston, Jeffrey Gaines, the Hooters, and festivals with Steve Earle, Judy Collins, Jeff Tweedy, Aimee Mann, Rufus Wainwright, Mavis Staples, and Arlo Guthrie. To book John Francis contact here: jesse@pointentertainment.com and for college bookings contact: Hey Cole Presents, Nicole Lipman, Phone: 267-988-4410, heycolepresents@gmail.com

  • Members

    The Better Angels Band: Ken Coomer, Kenny Vaughan, Bob Britt, Michael Rhodes, Pat McLaughlin, Jamie Hartford, Robby Turner, Dave Roe, Tony Harrell, Laura Cash, Sarah Peasall, Rachael Yamagata, Todd Erk, Chris Giraldi, Ross Bellenoit

  • Influences

    Johnny Cash, Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Walt Whitman, Freddy Mercury, Roy Orbison, The Band, Odetta, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, Otis Redding, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Carter Family, Leonard Cohen, Lefty Frizzell, Smokey Robinson, Leadbelly, U2, Earnest Tubb, Van Morrison, Reverend Gary Davis, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, James Joyce, Buffy Sainte Marie, Gram Parsons, Federico Garcia Lorca, Pete Seeger, Hank Williams Sr., Nusrat Fateh Alikhan, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Traditional American Indian Prayer Songs, Keith Green, Steve Earle, Dwight Yokam, Mercedes Sosa, James Baldwin, Woody Guthrie, Neil Young, Don Henley, Jeff Buckley, the Cure, Gillian Welch, Joe Hill .. .... .... .. ...... .."75"> .... ........ ..John Francis live, Nashville, TN w/ the Basement. w/ all-star band Kenny Vaughan, Dave Roe, and Ken Coomer. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..John Francis live @ Joe's Pub w/ Mark Geary & Mark Erelli .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ......

  • Sounds Like

    John Francis

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