Pete Francis (b. 1975)

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“A Pete Francis record feels like a ride from New York City to the coast of Maine.”

American Musician, Writer, Poet, Singer-Songwriter, Founding member of Dispatch

📲 Text me: +1 (772) 275-3017

 

Artist Bio



Photo by Danny Clinch

Pete Francis Complete Discography

So They Say (2001)
Untold (2003)
Good To Finally Know (2004)
Everything Is One (2006)
Iron Sea and the Cavalry (2008)
Wake The Mountain (2009)
The Movie We Are In (2010)
Immodal Implozego (2013)
Dragon Crest Collective, Vol. 1 (2015)
Belong To The Band (2019)
Live in 2003 (2020)
Humble Down (2021)
Sun Fuzz (2021)
PTRN SKY! (2023)
Neon Light Blind (2024)
Hurricane Candle (2024)
Pete Francis EP (2024)

Pete Francis is a prolific singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose warm, passionate songs incorporate everything from alt-rock and blues to folk, pop, and reggae. He initially gained a following as one-third of the prominent New England indie band Dispatch, before mounting a solo career in 2001. During Dispatch's nearly decade-long hiatus, Francis built an extensive solo catalog, releasing seven albums through his own independent Dragon Crest Collective label. After Dispatch's re-formation in 2011, he resumed his role as singer/bassist/guitarist while releasing occasional solo music on the side. He ultimately left the band in 2019 and, following a series of EPs, made a strong return to form with 2023's sonically adventurous PTRN SKY!. An EP, Neon Light Blind, arrived a year later.

Pete Francis Heimbold grew up in Riverside, Connecticut, taking early influence from the reggae music of Bob Marley along with classic songwriters like Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell. While attending Middlebury College in Vermont, he connected with fellow musicians Chad Urmston and Brad Corrigan. The trio formed Dispatch, a rangy roots-inspired indie band who became a fixture of the East Coast club, festival, and jam circuits. Between 1996 and their 2002 hiatus, Dispatch released four studio albums and a live record, building a sizable audience through heavy touring and grassroots promotion. Francis stepped out in 2001 to make his solo debut with So They Say, an album that bore some resemblance to his work in Dispatch and contained several songs they had played live together. When the group officially announced their hiatus, he kicked into gear, issuing a prolific string of albums through his Dragon Crest imprint. In addition to solo releases like 2003's Untold and 2008's Iron Sea and the Cavalry, he also teamed up with Craig Dreyer for the 2006 joint album Everything is One. Meanwhile, Dispatch continued to gain new followers despite their hiatus and in 2007, they reunited for a charity concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. After a surprise sellout, two more dates were added, both of which also sold out. Francis then teamed up with fellow New Englanders Barefoot Truth for a 2009 EP, then issued his fifth solo album, The Movie We Are In, in 2010. 

In 2011, Dispatch officially reformed and resumed touring and recording. Although the band occupied much of his focus, Francis continued to record on his own, releasing 2013's Immodal Implozego and a 2015 compilation, Dragon Crest Collective, Vol. 1. In 2019, after three more studio albums with Dispatch, Francis left his longtime group and resumed his solo career in earnest. For a few years he focused on singles and EPs like Humble Down and Sun Fuzz, both of which were released in 2021. He also built his own home studio and began self-producing his music. With its vibrant electronic sounds and drum loops, 2023's PTRN SKY! marked a tonal shift for Francis and was his first home-recorded album. The following April he explored his reggae influences on the sunny EP Neon Light Blind.

Pete Francis Biography by Timothy Monger