In 1963 in my hometown of Jennings, Louisiana, I remembered watching the "March on Washington" on our newly purchased black and white television. I had just finished high school and was unsure of my future as a black youth in the deep, still-segregated south. I sat glued to this small television set and the haunting words of the great speech stayed with me ever since. I did go on to become a cardiologist and a musician.
After the death of Dr King, I tried for several years to put his life and its meaning to music. One evening in 1984, the inspiration came to me. I just sat down on a stool with my guitar, turned on the tape recorder and sang the song "Martin" without edit. It was as if I was a conduit for this song. I immediately called the late Rev. Moses Dillard in Nashville, whom I had met several years earlier, to tell him about the song. The next day, I sent him a copy of the tape and he called me back to say "this is the song". We arranged to get together in Nashville to record it. We met at LSI Studio. Among the musicians on the session were Lisa Nelson, Dennis Solee and Glenda-Smith Whyte.
The song was picked up by publisher, Bill Lowery of Brother Bill's Music of Atlanta and a single 45 rpm record was produced on Southern Tracks Records. Using the sound track, I performed the song at the King Center in Atlanta marking the 22nd anniversary of the "I Have a Dream Speech". The recording was sent to a few radio stations in the area but didn't get much play. We envisioned the song being published into sheet music that would be distributed to churches and schools around the country. The Coca Cola Corporation of Atlanta did put out the sheet music but without the record being big hit, the project died.
I managed to perform the song with the sound tracks at many functions in the Washington, DC area including the US Capitol and the National Theater as part of Martin Luther King Celebrations. I moved on to pursue a career in country music and moved to Nashville in 1991.
While in Nashville I received a call from Moses in 1993 who informed me that the song "Martin" had been selected to be included in a compilation of songs about the civil rights movement. "March On" was being recorded on the Warner Bros label. Moses said that there were many songs from artists around the nation and that "Martin" had been selected to be the anchor for the project. I was invited to be one of the artists performing the song and I was contacted by producer Sanchez Harley who added my vocals to the song. I
was also honored to perform the song at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis along with Patti Austin, Olie Woodson, Daryl Coley, Vanessa Williams, Yolanda Adams, Cybill Shepherd, Claude McKnight, Will Downing,
Jackie Johnson and Kelli Williams.
I don't know what became of the project "March On," but the song "Martin" needs to be heard and passed on. The dedication of a new. national memorial has again called out this song.--Cleve Francis
Martin, written by Cleve Francis
Brother bills Music/ALine Music/Cleve Francis Music ASCAP
Illustration of Dr. King: Jim Cohen
Arranged by Sanchez Harley & Derrick Lee
Lead Vocals: Patti Austin, Ollie Woodson, Daryl Coley, Vanessa Williams, Yolanda Adams, Cybill Shepherd, Claude McKnight, Will Downing, Cleve Francis, Jackie Johnson, Kelli Williams
Musicians: Derrick Lee-keyboards, Jimmy Sloas-bass, Dan Huff-Guitars, Steve Brester-drums, Lloyd Barry & Bob Patin-synthesizer technicians.
Background Vocals: The National Civil Rights Museum 25th Anniversary Mass Choir.
Directed and Arranged by O'Landa Draper.
Tracks recorded by Mark Nevers at The Castle, Franklin, TN.
Overdubs recorded by Sanchez Harley at A Cut Above Recording Studio, Nashville, TN; Track Record, North Hollywood, CA; and Kiva Studio, Memphis, TN.
Vocal overdubs recorded by Sanchez Harley at Quad Studio, Memphis, TN.
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Cleve Francis - Walkinby stuarcl5,823 views
Is this on iTunes?
HelipilotNBC6 2 months ago
LOVED THIS ONE DESMANS SAID
BobbyMercy1 5 months ago