Soul-blues diva Carol Fran was born October 23, 1933, in Lafayette, Louisiana. After beginning her career as a teen singing jump blues with the Don Conway Orchestra, she eventually landed in New Orleans, marrying saxophonist Bob Francois. Abbreviating her married name to simply Fran, she became a constant presence on the Bourbon Street club circuit before mounting an extended tour of Mexico. In 1957, she cut her first sides for the R&B label Excello, scoring a regional smash with her debut single, "Emmitt Lee." Though she recorded extensively for Excello, only three more singl...