Neal Francis, Wyatt Waddell

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Jack Karnatz

A close-up of Neal Francis.

Neal Francis

Neal Francis plays the piano with the abandon of Jerry Lee Lewis, the audacity of Dr. John, and the coolness of Leon Russell. He took the Marquette Waterfront Festival by storm in 2019 and Madison has never forgotten him. The Chicagoan runs his band like an Army unit and it shows in their airtight, stormy blues and rock. Said Rolling Stone: “Neal Francis is making piano rock cool again.” Just released this week was the disco-ready single “Back It Up,” accompanied by a lo-fi '80s-esque video. Chicago underground R&B sensation Wyatt Waddell supports.

media release: Acclaimed singer-songwriter-pianist Neal Francis returned on Nov. 12 with his dance-ready new single, “Back It Up,” available now via ATO Records. An official music video premiered on YouTube.

Francis’ first new music in almost two years, “Back It Up” sees the Chicago-based singer, songwriter, and prodigious pianist effortlessly gliding along on glossy synth lines and a playfully swaggering riff, imbuing a carefree spirit into the deliberately over-the-top confession of romantic desperation. “That song went through a few different phases before we got to the final iteration,” Francis says. “It took me a while to accept that it’s okay to have fun with the lyrics, instead of making everything so serious all the time.”

Hailed by SPIN as “a mesmerizing performer,” Francis will celebrate “Back It Up” – and more new music to come – with a series of upcoming headline dates set through an eagerly awaited two-night homecoming stand at Chicago, IL’s historic Thalia Hall on December 13-14. 2025 will then see Francis traveling to Riviera Cancun, Mexico for Bobby Weir’s annual Dead Ahead (January 9-13) followed by a trip Down Under to Byron Bay, Australia for the famed Byron Bay Bluesfest (April 17-20). Additional dates will be announced. For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.nealfrancis.com/tour.