Mike Francis


Francesco Puccioni, better known under his stage name Mike Francis, was an Italian singer and composer, born in Florence, Italy. Internationally, he was best known for his 1984 hit, "Survivor", and his collaborations with American singer Amii Stewart.

Career

Puccioni formed his first band at age 14 with schoolmates from l'Istituto di Studi Americano in Rome. Under the stage name Mike Francis, he had his first hit with "Survivor" in 1984 and went on to record ten studio albums. Among his best known works is the song "Friends", a collaboration with Amii Stewart released in 1984 which became a hit in the UK.
Beginning in 2000, assisted by his brother Mario and by the Maltese multi-instrumentalist Aidan Zammit, he founded the group Mystic Diversions. The group's songs were featured on many high-profile chill-out and lounge compilations. In addition to new, original song material, they also performed covers of various 1970s and 1980s songs such as "Float On" and "A Warm Summer Night". Together with the trio, additional musicians for live sets consisted of Agostino Marangolo, Fabio Pignatelli, Marco Rinalduzzi, Giovanni Imparato, as well as Wendy Lewis and Laura Serra.
Francis' 2007 album Inspired contains several covers such as "Summer Breeze", "Time", "Thinking of You" and "Nothing Can Come Between Us", as well as collaborations with Blank & Jones on "Roots", "I Love You", the Van Morrison cover "Someone Like You" and the Labi Siffre cover "Down". "Someone Like You" appears on the compilation album Café del Mar Vol. 12. Francis' website states him as saying: "From that moment many other songs were born in a simple and spontaneous way, simply "inspired"..."

Death

Puccioni died aged 47 on 30 January 2009 of lung cancer in Rome. His last compilation album The Very Best of Mike Francis was released just days before his death.

Discography

Albums

  • 1984 – Let's Not Talk About It
  • 1985 – Features
  • 1986 – Mike Francis
  • 1987 – Songs
  • 1988 – Flashes of Life
  • 1989 – Features of Love
  • 1989 – Dreams of a Lifetime
  • 1990 – Live at Manila
  • 1991 – Mike Francis in Italiano
  • 1992 – Classics
  • 1994 – Francesco Innamorato
  • 1995 – The Very Best – Live
  • 1995 – A Different Air
  • 1995 – A Different Air
  • 1998 – Misteria
  • 1998 – The Best Of
  • 1999 – All Rooms with a View
  • 1999 – I Grandi Successi
  • 2000 – I Grandi Successi Originali – "Flashback"
  • 2000 – Crossing the Liquid Mirror
  • 2002 – Beneath Another Sky
  • 2003 – Colours
  • 2006 – From the Distance
  • 2007 – Wave a Little Light
  • 2007 – Inspired
  • 2008 – Let's Not Talk About It
  • 2008 – Flashes of Life
  • 2009 – The Very Best of Mike Francis
  • 2011 - Anthology
  • 2011 - ''The Best of...''

    Singles

  • 1982 – "Love Has Found You"
  • 1983 – "Survivor"
  • 1984 – "Let Me In"
  • 1984 – "Friends"
  • 1985 – "Features of Love"
  • 1985 – "Together"
  • 1986 – "Iron It Out"/"You Can't Get Out of My Heart"
  • 1987 – "Suddenly Back to Me"
  • 1988 – "Still I'm Runnin' Back to You"
  • 1989 – "Survivor '89"
  • 1991 – "Livin' It Up"
  • 1991 – "Se Tu Provi"
  • 1992 – "I Want You"
  • 1994 – "Bellissimi Occhi Chiusi"