Chillicothe native to play at the Majestic Theatre

CHILLICOTHE— Paul Francis is a Grammy award-winning drummer who has worked with artists such as Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder and many more.

He has also worked on several movies and shows that have aired on HBO, ABC, NBC, Netflix and MTV. Before he did all of that he was growing up in Chillicothe perfecting his craft. He will return to his hometown this month to perform at the Majestic Theatre with the Paul Francis Quartet.

Francis started playing the drums while in elementary school, carrying his drums to school and back with him for practice. During middle school, his parent bought him his own drum set which he used to play with friends. He would also go on to play in the jazz band while in high school at Chillicothe High School.

At the age of 15, he played his first professional gig at Crosskeys Tavern with the Goosetown Astonishers. He would later attend Ohio State University and obtain a bachelor's in jazz studies with a focus on performance and a Master of Music from SUNY Purchase.

Learn more about the Goosetown Astonishers: Dixieland jazz band "The Goosetown Astonishers" performs at Crosskeys Tavern for almost 50 years

He uses his knowledge to help others in the music business by teaching classes of all age levels at SUNY Purchase, the University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and his private studio in New York.

Francis loves being able to help students learn a piece to perform. He said seeing that "lightbulb moment" where everything clicks is great. As a teacher he tries to remember how he felt when he was young and just starting.

"It is really satisfying when you have a kid who is struggling to get something then they finally get it," said Francis. "When they finally get it that lightbulb comes on."

He also plays with the Paul Francis Quartet who are known for bringing a jazz element to pop tunes from the 1960s to the 2000s. The group is made up of Francis on drums, Chris Bacas on saxophone and flute, Andrew Hartman on guitar and Michael O'Brien on Bass. He met these men throughout his musical journey but the band was created during a 50th celebration performance of The Beatles White Album.

This is not the first time Francis has gotten to play in front of a hometown crowd, having played in many parades when he was younger as well as with his band for the first time last year. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't still get nervous thinking about playing in front of friends and family. He jokes that this is the reason Chillicothe is the last stop of the tour, so he can get any mistakes out of the way before he plays in front of people who have known him since he was a child.

"It is always more nerve-racking, for me at least, when you perform for family or for your hometown," said Francis. "You don't want to go out there and crash and burn."

He said he is excited to be able to spend some time back home and being able to visit with friends and family. While here he is also excited to enjoy hometown food like Cristy's Pizza and Crispie Creme donuts. He said his fellow band members are also excited to come to town as he showed off the area last time they played.

The Paul Francis Quartet will be playing at the Majestic Theatre on Feb. 25. To purchase tickets visit the Theatre's website. This performance will also be recorded for the band to use on their next album which will feature pop tunes from the 80s. Francis said the band has put a unique twist on popular songs that will interest listeners of all ages.

"I think people will be really surprised when they hear some of these tunes," said Francis. "We have really changed the way some of these songs are, but in a fun way."

Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Chillicothe native to play at the Majestic Theatre