DAVID ALBERT "PANAMA" FRANCIS

David Albert "Panama" Francis (December 21, 1918 – November 13, 2001) was an American swing jazz drummer who also played on numerous hit recordings in the 1950s.

Francis was born in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1918. His father was Haitian, and "his mother came from an English property-owning background in the Bahamas". His father collected records, and Francis was enthusiastic about music and playing the drums even before attending school. He initially played in marching bands and local drum and bugle corps.

                                        

                                         

Later life and career

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: "he was inadvertently given the lasting nickname Panama at a moment when he 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"); Buddy Holly ("Peggy Sue"); the Platters ("The Great Pretender", "My Prayer", "Only You", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"), Neil Sedaka ("Calendar Girl"); and Jackie Wilson ("Reet Petite").

From 1963 Francis toured with singer Dinah Shore for five years. He then set up home in California, but struggled to find work. He toured Japan with 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. His Savoy Sultans jazz and dance band was formed in 1979, and appeared regularly at the Rainbow Room, New York, 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. He died on November 13, 2001, following a stroke, at the age of 82.