Biography
22 April 1945, Jennings, Louisiana, USA. The eldest of six children, Francis had childhood ambitions to play the guitar and sing country music. He gained his first experience towards his ambition by singing and playing gospel music in the local church choir. After completing his college education, he attended medical school, where he qualified as a cardiologist. After relocating to Washington DC, he worked at his qualified profession during the day and gradually built a reputation as a singer by performing in local clubs in the evenings. He eventually attracted attention when his albumLovelight was released in the USA by Playback, whose distribution arrangement with the Cottage label also saw it released in the UK. A video of the title track attracted attention on CMT and TNN and led to him joining Liberty Records, where he then had the distinction of being, at the time, the only black country singer signed to a major label. What was more distinctive, however, was...
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