Francis started playing the guitar at an early age, By the 1970s, he formed a New Jersey base band called The Rockids, who were regulars at CBGB's and Max's Kansas City in Manahattan, NY.
In 2005, Francis began writing and playing guitar for the 60s garage rock band The Doughboys (New Jersey)[1] on their album called "Is It Now?"
[citation needed] The Doughboys' second CD Act Your Rage produced another hit single called "I’m Not Your Man", which Little Steven's Underground Garage picked for "Coolest Song In The World" the week of September 5, 2009.
[3] The songs were "Turn Your Love On Me" by The Doughboys (New Jersey) and "The Bank Of The River" from Francis' Americana album The More Things Change, The More They Stay Same.
[4] As of 2013, Francis continued to write songs for independent artists under the Bongo Boy Records label including The Easy Outs,[5][6] Jana Peri, Jean Lozier[7] Genya Ravan, Kelly Caruso,[8] a Mississippi Delta juke joint band The Groundhawgs, as well as a bluesman by the name of Plainfield Slim.