Biography:

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

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

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