For
Fans
Of...
Dr.
John,
Allen
Toussaint,
The
Faces,
Joe
Cocker,
Leon
Russell,
Buddy
Miles,
The
Meters,
Father
John
Misty.
"I
just
wanted
to
be
honest
about
everything,
from
my
musical
influences
to
my
story,"
muses
Neal
Francis.
After
years
of
dishonest
living
-
consumed
by
drugs,
alcohol,
3
and
addiction
-
such
sincerity
is
jarring
from
the
30-year-old
Chicago-based
musician.
Liberated
from
a
self-destructive
past
and
born
anew
in
sobriety,
Francis
has
captured
an
inspired
collection
of
songs
steeped
in
New
Orleans
rhythms,
Chicago
blues,
and
early
70s
rock
n'
roll.
There
is
a
deep
connection
between
Francis's
childhood
-
his
obsession
with
boogie
woogie
piano,
his
father's
gift
of
a
dusty
Dr.
John
LP
-
and
the
songs
he's
created.
The
result
is
an
astonishing
collection
of
material
without
parallel
in
the
contemporary
funk
and
soul
scene.
The
influences
are
unmistakable:
the
vocal
stylings
of
Allen
Toussaint
and
Leon
Russell;
the
second
line
rhythms
of
The
Meters
and
Dr.
John;
the
barroom
rock
'n'
roll
of
The
Rolling
Stones;
the
gospel
soul
of
Billy
Preston;
the
roots
music
of
The
Band.
Francis
pays
tribute
to
the
masters
but
has
his
own
story
to
tell:
"It's
the
life
I've
lived
so
far."
After
playing
his
first
live
show
in
November
2018,
Francis
was
signed
by
veteran
agents
Joshua
Knight
and
Phil
Egenthal
of
Paradigm
Talent
Agency.
2019
brought
a
North
American
tour
supporting
Australian
band
The
Cat
Empire
as
well
as
radio
play
on
KEXP,
KCRW's
The
Morning
Becomes
Eclectic,
and
BBC
Radio
6.
Francis
and
his
four-piece
band
performed
at
festivals
such
as
Summer
Camp
and
the
New
Orleans
Jazz
&
Heritage
Festival
and
shared
the
stage
with
The
Meters
and
Lee
Fields
&
The
Expressions.
Francis
continues
to
tour
relentlessly
to
promote
his
own
music.
"I'm
doing
this
to
fulfill
a
drive
within
myself,
but
also
to
pay
tribute
to
the
gifts
I've
been
given.
And
it
comes
from
a
place
of
immense
gratitude.
I've
been
given
so
much
in
my
life,
especially
in
the
last
two
years,
that
this
feels
like
a
bonus."
Also
Available
From
Neal
Francis:
These
Are
The
Days
7”.
Tracks
1.
This
Time
2.
She’s
A
Winner
3.
How
Have
I
Lived
4.
These
Are
The
Days
5.
Changes,
Pts.
1
&
2
6.
Lauren
7.
Can’t
Live
Without
Your
Love
8.
Put
It
In
His
Hands
Read More