Customer Reviews

Can't Make It on My Own

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Francine Reed is mesmerizing! Power, strength, deep, rich voice with a hint of bawdy mischief! Francine Reed possesses a voice unlike any other in the music business. It is a shame that more people have not discovered her. In this day of weak and reedy women's voices, it is thrilling to find a woman who can sing with assertiveness and assurance and utter confidence in her femininity.

Francine is not a woman to back down and take a back seat to anyone. She proves this through the use of her powerful weapon, her voice and choice of songs. She sings in celebration of love, as well as freedom from love. She is alternately bawdy, brazen and self assured and sated. She doesn't do heart-broken and weak. She doesn't pine. In Francine's world there is always other fish in the sea. She is determined and ready to go on as she says on another cd "one monkey don't stop no show."

Can't Make It On My Own is Francine Reed's second cd. Her first, which I wanted to review, I Hope that You Love Me is know longer available. Do grab it if you find it. Francine continues on Can't Make It to produce soulful blues songs which celebrate life, love and her brand of femininity. The cd abounds in energy and fun. The listener is treated to a woman who is assertive, joyful and fun-loving.

There are many songs on this cd which stand out for me. Love Without Mercy, You Bug Me, Not by Man Alone, Stop Me Before I Love Again, Broken Hearts Row and Been There, Done That.

Delbert McClinton joins Francine Reed on You Bug Me. It is a duet that works well and they sound like they are having fun while singing it.

Francine sings that she is not complaining on Love Without Mercy. As it turns out it is something we could all use a bit of. It is worth being late for work as she claims.

After listening to Francine Reed sing, one realizes what a wise decision Lyle Lovett made when he hired her as a back-up vocalists in 1985. I certainly hope that her solo career continues to expand, because she is a woman with a powerful voice, and great talent.

I first saw this lady opening for lyle lovett in vail, co. What a memorable performance! I had to hang onto my seat so I wouldn't fall off! Don't miss a chance to hear her and hopefully you'll get to see kirk james opening and see some true talent!

As fans of Francine since the 70s, we've always enjoyed her joyous, earthy style. No one can get a room goin' like Francine!

If it was, and material success was based on talent alone, then Francine Reed would be one of the richest women in America. She'd be Barbara Streisand. Aretha Franklin. Billie Holiday. I hope she is rich! Lord knows she deserves it; she raised four kids alone, in Atlanta. Sung in church and around town to support her family. And she is a stupifyingly amazing singer. I have not heard such a powerful and soulful voice in many years. I am also embarrassed that I had never heard of her until lately. I was listening to the online Blues Classic Radio, when they played her version of Willie Dixon's I Want You to Love Me, from the Big Bender Records LP "Live At Blind Willie's". It absolutely blew me away!

Can't Make It On My Own beautifully showcases her versatility: she can be alternately tough, tender, smooth, rocking, you name it, she's got it all covered. At times the deep resonance of her voice reminds me of Robert Cray, Buddy Guy and others. But most guys, and women, for that matter, would kill to have Francine's pipes.

I would love to hear her in person. Some of this excitement is captured in the Blind Willie LP cited above, but she does only four tunes; she shares the disk with two other great singers, Sweet Betty and Sandra Hall. It's a great record too!

Someone should record Francine in a live setting, at a bar, doing a full set of low-down and dirty blues, backed by bass, drums, guitar, piano, and harp. And then she should go on to record an album full of Sinatra's gin joint songs, backed by a jazz trio. Then an R&B LP. Then an album featuring gospel and sacred songs. You get the idea. Any song she touches turns to gold.

It's sad when you have someone like Taylor Swift--pretty girl, but vocally challenged--get so many accolades, while a stupendous talent like Francine Reed is practically unknown outside of Atlanta.