Originally from Jennings, Louisiana, singer Cleve Francis sang hip but earnest folk music while a college student in late-1960's Williamsburg, Virginia. He earned a medical degree and was a practicing cardiologist but having recorded an album way back in 1970, he began seriously pursuing a career in music in the 1980s. A music video for the song "Love Light" brought him to the attention of country producer Jimmy Bowen, who signed Francis to Capitol Records, which put out several albums in the early 'Nineties. These Capitol/Liberty albums yielded four modest hits in the Billboard charts, all middle-rung or Back Forty country, though one song, "You Do My Heart Good," hit #47 in 1992. Apparently he returned to his medical career in 1994... but what a side trip! Here's a quick look at his work....
Cleveland Francis "Follow Me" (Soulfolk Records, 1970) (LP)
(Produced by Brenda Graubach, Daniel Grubauch & Victor Liguori)
Still a college student at William And Mary College in Virginia when he made this album, Cleve Francis was working very much in a hip folk mode, covering artists such as Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and Jose Feliciano, along with a couple of Beatles tunes. He had a slightly tremulous, thin voice, not unlike Feliciano's, which is persuasive in an emotive kind of way; backing him are guitarist David Gapp and bass player Kenneth Zeigler, with Francis on vocals and rhythm guitar. The album includes three originals credited to Cleve Francis, "Hot Sun," "Just Think About It For A While" and "The Willow Tree," as well as one by obscuro-folkie Michael Merchant. The only really overtly country tune was a cover of Bobby Russell's proto-countrypolitan ballad, "Little Green Apples," and it's a nice rendition of the song. [Note: This album was re-released in 2022 with an additional second disc full of material from a similar vintage, including one of Francis's long-lost singles.]
Cleve Francis "Timeless" (Cleve Francis Productions, 1985)
(Produced by Moses Dillard)
Easing his way into the Nashville sound, Francis recorded this session at LSI Studios, with producer Moses Dillard on guitar, along with steel player Sonny Garrish, Mark Casstevens on guitar and harmonica, and several more obscure session players in the mix. Not sure how "country" to call this one, though he does include a version of "Mr. Bojangles," for anyone keeping count....
Cleve Francis "Last Call For Love" (Playback Records, 1990)
This was the independently-released album which caught the attention of Nashville, with the original version of the song "Love Light." It was later reissued in the United Kingdom under the title Lovelight, on the Cottage Records label.
Cleve Francis "Tourist In Paradise" (Capitol Nashville, 1991)
(Produced by Jimmy Bowen & Cleve Francis)
As legend has it, country producer Jimmy Bowen saw Cleve Francis's video of the song "Love Light," and signed him to Capitol Records, leading to a string of albums and a few modest hits. There's a version of that song on here, though I couldn't tell you for sure if it's the same as the one on the Lovelight album which came out in Great Britain, and which has an otherwise completely different set list. Three of Francis's four charting singles are included on this album, including his highest-placed hit, "You Do My Heart Good" (which peaked at #47), "How Can I Hold You" and the re-released version of "Love Light," which hit #52. I guess that makes this his big hit album!
Cleve Francis "Walkin' " (Liberty Records, 1993)
(Produced by Jimmy Bowen)
The title track of this album proved to be Cleve Francis's last charting hit, peaking at #63 on the Billboard country charts.
Cleve Francis "You've Got Me Now" (Liberty Records, 1994)
(Produced by Robert Byrne)
Cleve Francis/Various Artists "Storytime" (Self-released, 2006)
