| Panama Francis | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Name: | David Albert Francis |
| Birth Date: | December 21, 1918 |
| Birth Place: | Miami, Florida, United States |
| Death Place: | Orlando, Florida |
| Instrument: | Drums |
| Genre: | Jazz, swing, rhythm and blues |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Years Active: | 1930s–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.
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". His father collected records. The young David was enthusiastic about music and playing the drums even before attending school. He initially played in marching bands and local drum and bugle corps.
Francis first played professionally in the 1930s. He was part of George Kelly's band from 1934 to 1938, and was then with the Florida Collegians in 1938. After moving to New York that year, he worked with Tab Smith, Billy Hicks, and Roy Eldridge before the 1940s. 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".
Francis joined Lucky Millinder's big band in 1940, so often played at the Savoy Ballroom. 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.
For much of the 1950s, Francis was a studio musician in New York, accompanying rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll groups and singers. 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");[4] and Jackie Wilson ("Reet Petite").
From 1963 Francis toured with singer Dinah Shore for five years. He then resided in California but struggled to find work. He toured Japan with saxophonist Sam "the Man" Taylor in 1970–71, and appeared on film again in 1972, in Lady Sings the Blues. 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. 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. Francis became drummer in the Benny Goodman Quartet for concerts in 1982. He appeared in the 1994 film The Statesmen of Jazz as a member of the Statesmen of Jazz.
David Francis died on November 13, 2001, following a stroke, at age 82.[5]
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
| Year | Title | Artist | Date | U.S. chart | R&B chart | UK chart | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | "Only You (And You Alone)" | 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" | September 12 | ||||||
| 1956 | "My Prayer" | The Platters | 1 | 22 | 4 | Buck Ram | ||
| 1958 | "Splish Splash" | May 19 | 3 | 1 | 28 | |||
| 1958 | "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" | The Platters | 1 | 3 | 1 | Buck Ram | ||
| 1960 | "Lullabye" | July 20 | ||||||
| 1959 | "What a Diff'rence a Day Made"[6] | February 19 | 8 | 4 | with the Belford Hendricks Orchestra | |||
| 1959 | "I Cried a Tear"[7] | 6 | 2 | |||||
| 1961 | "Runaround Sue"[8] | 4 | 11 | 11 | Gene Schwartz, Dion | backing vocals by the Del Satins | ||
| 1962 | "Big Girls Don't Cry" | October | 1 | 1 | 13 | |||
| 1962 | "Prisoner of Love" | December 17 | 18 | 6 | James Brown, Hal Neely | |||
| 1963 | "Walk Like a Man" | The Four Seasons | January 1962 | 1 | 3 | 12 | Bob Crewe | |