Darin Francis

“His mother is Indigo Girls, his father is either Bob Dylan or Tom Waits, and Tom Petty is either his brother or his cousin…” -Julia Belian 

Singer-songwriter Darin Francis first emerged as an artist during the coffee-house boon of the 90’s when the show Friends was actually art imitating life and the now defunct Border’s Books chain served coffee and paid artists to play on weekend evenings. As a part of a songwriting duo with Mike Rutt, Francis leaned into rhythm guitar and harmonies on street corners and cafes while he honed his writing and performing craft. Francis and Rutt later formed the band Harbinger’s Mile and made the circuit of larger clubs, bars, and festivals, often opening for acts such as Jill Jack, Thornetta Davis, Bill Mallonee, and the Vigilantes of Love. 

Harbinger’s Mile released their album Hallowed Boulevard in 1998, an alt country rock album of songs co-authored by Francis.  The collection of hook laden pop tunes with strong and vulnerable harmonies can be found free on Spotify. Check it out. It still holds up today! 

Back with fresh scars and hopeful insights poured into an ever-growing set of new songs, Francis has found his voice again. Fans of Harbinger’s Mile, Wilco, the Jayhawks and Tom Petty will find in these songs, a fresh example of Americana that cuts deeply into our shared experiences. 

For Francis, dark themes are often wrapped in sincere, if not hopeful, packages without the need for resolution or concrete solutions. “Songs about loss or sorrow are not new, so it’s important just to write and let the universe put those songs in their place for whoever might find them… even if it’s just me.“ Often delivered on the back beat with warm moving melodies, these songs might make you nod your head to the rhythm and tap into your inner percussionist or they might just shed light on the times we are living in. Either way, listen and take in these thoughtful and well-conceived tunes. And as Belian says, “We're here to hear your Indigo Dylan Petty Girls voice deliver the words we recognize all the way down to our DNA.”