Francis Craig, born on September 10, 1900, in Dickson, Tennessee, was an American pianist, composer, and bandleader. While a student at Vanderbilt University, he formed his first orchestra in 1921, which gained regional recognition through dance performances across the Mid-South. His career expanded in 1925 when his orchestra became associated with Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel and performed regularly on WSM radio, helping establish his reputation in the region. In 1947, after signing with Bullet Records, Craig released the song “Near You,” which became a major national hit and topped the Billboard Honor Roll of Hits for seventeen weeks. He continued recording and working with labels and later retired from live performances in the mid-1950s. He died on November 19, 1966, in Nashville, Tennessee.
