Cleve Francis

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Cleve Francis
Birth nameCleveland Francis, Jr.[1]
Born (1945-04-22) April 22, 1945 (age 80)[2]
OriginJennings, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, cardiologist
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1970–present
LabelsPlayback,
Liberty, Forager
Websitehttp://www.clevefrancis.com

Cleveland Francis (born April 22, 1945) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and cardiologist. Active since the late 1960s, Francis has recorded a total of nine albums, including three for Liberty Records. He has charted four times on Billboard Hot Country Songs, most successfully with "You Do My Heart Good" in 1992.

Biography

[edit]

Francis began his music career as a folk and blues singer and songwriter in the late 1960s while still a graduate student at the College of William & Mary, where he graduated with a Master of Arts degree in 1969.[3] He attended medical school at the Medical College of Virginia (now Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine), eventually becoming a cardiologist. However, in the late 1980s, he switched his focus to country music, signing first to Playback Records. His debut country album Last Call for Love was released that year. The album included a single titled "Love Light", which was also made into a music video.[4]

After seeing the video for "Love Light" on CMT, record producer Jimmy Bowen signed Francis to Liberty Records in 1992.[4] Between 1992 and 1994, Francis released three studio albums on Liberty, in addition to charting four singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. In 1994, Francis returned to his medical practice in Northern Virginia. He is president of Mount Vernon Cardiology Associates.[5] Francis has performed at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, and has a live album recorded there in 2006 called Storytime.[6] In 2022, Francis released "Beyond the Willow Tree" on Forager Records, a remastered reissue of his 1970 self-released folk album, "Follow Me," which includes several other folk songs Francis had recorded as demos in 1968 and 1970.[7]

Discography

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Albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
US Country US Heat
Follow Me
  • Release date: 1970
  • Label: Self-released
— —
Last Call for Love
  • Release date: 1990
  • Label: Playback
— —
Tourist in Paradise
  • Release date: March 16, 1992
  • Label: Liberty
58 34
Walkin'
  • Release date: May 10, 1993
  • Label: Liberty
— —
You've Got Me Now
  • Release date: August 23, 1994
  • Label: Liberty
— —
Meet Cleve Francis
  • Release date: 2000
  • Label: K-Tel
— —
Storytime
  • Release date: 2006
  • Label: Self-released
— —
Lovelight
  • Release date: 2021
  • Label: K-Tel
— —
Beyond the Willow Tree
  • Release date: 2022
  • Label: Forager Records
— —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

[edit]
Year Single Peak chart
positions
Album
US Country
[1]
CAN Country
1990 "Love Light" — — Last Call for Love
1992 "Love Light" (re-release) 52 — Tourist in Paradise
"You Do My Heart Good" 47 76
"How Can I Hold You" 74 —
1993 "Walkin'" 63 — Walkin'
"I Won't Let You Walk Away" — —
1994 "Love or the Lack Thereof" — — You've Got Me Now
"We Fell in Love Anyway" (with Patti Austin) — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

[edit]
Year Video Director
1990 "Love Light" D.J. Schweitzer[8]
1992 "You Do My Heart Good" Bill Young
1993 "Walkin'" Sara Nichols
"I Won't Let You Walk Away" Joanne Gardner
1994 "Love or the Lack Thereof"[9] L. J. Kreussling
"We Fell in Love Anyway" (with Patti Austin)[10] Dominic Orlando
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. ^ Loftus, Johnny. "Cleve Francis biography". Allmusic. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  3. ^ Eshleman, Tina (January 2023). "Heart & Soul" (PDF). William & Mary Alumni Magazine. Williamsburg, Virginia: College of William & Mary. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Cleve Francis is a country (music) doctor". The Des Moines Register. April 17, 1992. pp. 16T. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Thumbnail Biography of Cleve Francis". Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  6. ^ "Storytime". iTunes Store. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  7. ^ "Beyond The Willow Tree, by Cleveland Francis". Cleveland Francis. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "Music Row prints local video honors". The Tennessean. December 11, 1990. pp. 1D. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  9. ^ "CMT : Videos : Cleve Francis : Love Or The Lack Thereof". Country Music Television. Retrieved October 14, 2011.[dead link]
  10. ^ "CMT : Videos : Patti Austin : We Fell In Love Anyway". Country Music Television. Retrieved October 14, 2011.[dead link]

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