Panama Francis
Birth nameDavid Albert Francis
Born(1918-12-21)December 21, 1918
Miami, Florida, United States
DiedNovember 13, 2001(2001-11-13) (aged 82)
Orlando, Florida
GenresJazz, swing, rhythm and blues
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Drums
Years active1930s–1980s

David Albert "Panama" Francis (December 21, 1918 – November 13, 2001) was an American swing jazz drummer[1][2] who played on numerous hit recordings in the 1950s.

Early life

Francis was born in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1918.[3] His father was Haitian, and "his mother came from an English property-owning background in the Bahamas".[4] His father collected records. The young David was enthusiastic about music and playing the drums even before attending school.[3] He initially played in marching bands and local drum and bugle corps.[3]

Career

Francis first played professionally in the 1930s.[3] He was part of George Kelly's band from 1934 to 1938, and was then with the Florida Collegians in 1938.[3] After moving to New York that year, he worked with Tab Smith, Billy Hicks, and Roy Eldridge before the 1940s.[3] Francis acquired his nickname from Eldridge "at a moment when [Francis] was wearing a panama hat and Eldridge could not remember his new drummer's name".[3]

Francis joined Lucky Millinder's big band in 1940, so often played at the Savoy Ballroom.[3] After leaving Millinder he was with Willie Bryant's band (1946), and then Cab Calloway (1947–52); he was in three short films alongside the latter.[3]

For much of the 1950s, Francis was a studio musician in New York, accompanying rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll groups and singers.[3] The hits he played on included: Bobby Darin ("Splish Splash"); the Four Seasons ("Big Girls Don't Cry", "Walk Like a Man"); the Platters ("The Great Pretender", "My Prayer", "Only You", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"), Dion DiMucci "Runaround Sue", Neil Sedaka ("Calendar Girl");[5] and Jackie Wilson ("Reet Petite").[4]

From 1963 Francis toured with singer Dinah Shore for five years.[3] He then resided in California but struggled to find work.[3] He toured Japan with saxophonist Sam "the Man" Taylor in 1970–71, and appeared on film again in 1972, in Lady Sings the Blues.[3] Back in New York, Francis was part of Sy Oliver's nonet from 1973 to 1975, during which time he also appeared at jazz festivals and toured internationally with other bands.[3] He revived the Savoy Sultans jazz and dance band in 1979, and he appeared regularly at the Rainbow Room in New York City for eight years from 1980.[3] Francis became drummer in the Benny Goodman Quartet for concerts in 1982.[3] He appeared in the 1994 film The Statesmen of Jazz as a member of the Statesmen of Jazz.[3]

Personal life and final years

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David Francis died on November 13, 2001, following a stroke, at age 82.[4]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Eddie Barefield

With Ray Bryant

With Milt Buckner

With Solomon Burke

With Cab Calloway

With Arnett Cobb

With Ray Conniff

With Sam Cooke

With Dion DiMucci

With Earl Hines

With John Lee Hooker

With Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry

With Wilson Pickett

With Big Joe Turner

With others

Singles

Year Title Artist Date U.S. chart R&B chart UK chart Producer Notes
1955 "Only You (And You Alone)" The Platters April 26 5 1 18 Buck Ram plays piano
1955 "The Great Pretender" The Platters 1 1 5 Buck Ram
1956 "I Put a Spell On You" Screaming Jay Hawkins September 12
1956 "My Prayer" The Platters 1 22 4 Buck Ram
1958 "Splish Splash" Bobby Darin May 19 3 1 28
1958 "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" The Platters 1 3 1 Buck Ram
1960 "Lullabye" The Chevrons July 20
1959 "What a Diff'rence a Day Made"[6] Dinah Washington February 19 8 4 with the Belford Hendricks Orchestra
1959 "I Cried a Tear"[7] LaVern Baker 6 2 Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler
1961 "Runaround Sue"[8] Dion 4 11 11 Gene Schwartz, Dion backing vocals by the Del Satins
1962 "Big Girls Don't Cry" The Four Seasons October 1 1 13 Bob Crewe
1962 "Prisoner of Love" James Brown December 17 18 6 James Brown, Hal Neely
1963 "Walk Like a Man" The Four Seasons January 1962 1 3 12 Bob Crewe

References

  1. ^ Ratliff, Ben (2001-11-17). "Panama Francis, 82, Jazz Drummer of Swing Era". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  2. ^ "Drummer David 'Panama' Francis, 82; Career Spanned Seven Decades". Los Angeles Times. 2001-11-17. Retrieved 2019-01-25.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Brown, T. Dennis; Kernfeld, Barry (2003). "Francis, Panama [Dave, David Albert]". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J156300.
  4. ^ a b c Monaghan, Terry (27 November 2001). "Obituary: 'Panama' Francis". theguardian.com. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  5. ^ Prato, Greg. "Panama Francis". AllMusic. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  6. ^ Project, Jazz Discography. "Mercury Records Discography: 1959". Jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  7. ^ Baker, LaVern, Soul On Fire: The Best of Lavern Baker CD, Atlantic Recording Corporation, 1991
  8. ^ Myers, Marc, Anatomy of a Song:The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop, Grove Press, New York, 2016 p. 38

External links

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