His debut full-length album, One By One, was released in August 2007 by Aeronaut Records, gaining him notice for its "emotional darkness and musicality".

[18] In 2010 Francis' performed his song Junebug and a cover of The Rolling Stones, Wild Horses on the French television show Taratata.

He returned to the show again later that year to perform a duet with The John Butler Trio where they covered The Beatles' Across The Universe.

[19] He also performed his song Nightfall with Manu Katche on the French television show One Shot Not that same year.

The album was recorded in Malibu, California, at the "Eagle's Watch" House designed by famed architect Harry Gesner.

[26] Francis was invited to Bob Weir's TRI Studios to play songs off Strangers In The First Place with Yahoo Music describing the performance as "endless nostalgia and nuance in each note.

Following a series of recordings in various Los Angeles studios, a period of time leaving Francis feeling uninspired, he relocated to León, Mexico.

[29] Recording there resulted in what would become Francis' sixth studio album, "Fire Engine Red", which was released on May 13, 2016.