Today we’d like to introduce you to Fran Pitre.
Hi Fran, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in upstate NY, then in Louisiana outside of New Orleans, I’ve been involved in music since childhood, singing in church choirs and playing the lead in My Fair Lady at age 13, then again at 17. I stayed involved in college musical theater while completing my degree in communication design. After college, while working as a graphic designer in Northern Virginia/suburban Washington DC I began performing lead and backup vocals in an alternative rock-n-roll band often performing on M Street in Georgetown. Later married several years to my architect husband Bruce, I put music performing on the back burner while I was expecting a set of twins. Four years later, after relocating to Northeast Florida to be closer to our families, a second set of twins arrived, and we welcomed our third (and final) set of twins in 2007. While a stay-at-home mother, I worked my freelance graphic design business from my home office to supplement our income and to keep my graphic design skills honed. During this time, I also began to write my book entitled “TWINS x3”, the result of keeping several journals I’d written while experiencing the roller coaster ride of my life as an expectant and young mom. It’s not a book to simply say that I had three sets of twins, but rather one woman’s faith journey from infertility struggles through parenting six children with my husband in this busy world.
In mid 2017, when our eldest twins were 22, our middle set were 17, and our youngest set were going on 10, I felt strongly pulled back into music. It may have been back-burnered for 20+ years, but it never left me. It’s not what you do, it’s truly who you are. A music friend in NY, Frank Shiner, invited me to join him on stage in NYC in Oct 2017 at The Cutting Room, which was an incredible experience for me just getting my feet wet again with stage performing, I went on to perform several times with him at The Iridium on Broadway. My debut into the Jacksonville music community occurred in July of 2018 when Frank expressed that he wanted to bring his show to Jacksonville as a part of his 2nd album’s tour. I met with local musicians who I hired for this gig and we all went on to present “A Night of Blue-Eyed Soul” featuring Frank Shiner and Fran Pitre, with all ticket proceeds donated to breast cancer research because Frank’s wife is a breast cancer surviver. At this same time, I met and began writing my own original music with local composer and arranger Kenny Levine.
Since that first concert in July of 2018, Kenny and I have co-written, co-produced and released 3 albums of original pop/blues/jazz music. I’ve performed with Frank in NYC and in Jacksonville on five different occasions, started my own band in the summer of 2019 called “Fran Pitre & Class Act” and have performed all over Northeast Florida for the past 6 years. Our albums have received 8 separate nominations from the global Josie Music Awards based out of Nashville, TN, including album of the year for albums 2 and 3.
In 2019, I updated and re-released my book now entitled: “TWINS x3, 10-Year Anniversary Edition”. In 2024, I released the audiobook version of TWINS x3, narrating the book myself in a local recording studio, updating listeners on my story through the fall of 2024.
Since the first benefit concert I was involved in with Frank Shiner in 2018, I’ve been actively involved in a local music effort called “The Denton Elkins Foundation for Musical Enrichment”, sponsored by the First Coast Blues Society (FCBS), the legacy of a young local musician who tragically passed in 2020. In 2022, I produced and hosted my first benefit concert at the Mudville Music Room entitled “Nice to Meet You”, which is the name of one of my original songs, where we featured original music (and some popular cover songs) and raised funds for Sandalwood High School’s band and our local Women’s Help Center, a non-profit organization here in Jacksonville that provides women with resources and support for loving alternatives to pregnancy termination. In 2025, I produced and hosted “Nothing to Fear” a benefit concert named after my 3rd album held at the San Marco Blvd location of Breezy Jazz House, featuring original and a few cover songs and raised funds for the breast cancer prevention non-profit “Pink Ribbon Jax” and again for Women’s Help Center.
In 2022, I began performing with another band lead by long-time local musician and award winning songwriter and singer Jay Jourdan, in his band entitled Blue Jay’s Rockin Review, which teams up with the blues legend B.B. King’s daughter Claudette King, Tyrone Vaughan (nephew of Stevie Ray), and Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers. We’ve performed in Columbia, South Carolina and in Tybee Island, GA in addition to several FCBS fundraising events in Jacksonville. We start a nation-wide tour kicking off in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas this July, and I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be performing several of my original songs on this tour. Tour dates in Los Angeles, New Orleans and back at the Ponte Vedra Music Hall will be announced soon.
Continuing forward personally, Bruce and I are still going strong! Uur eldest daughter is married, our eldest son is engaged and our youngest boys are finishing high school. No grand kids yet, but that’s a much-anticipated chapter.
I couldn’t be happier nor more grateful for the blessings we have. It’s not all been easy, and we’ve experienced just as much hardship, loss and struggle as anyone, but I put my faith and trust in my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and to God be all the glory and praise.
I appreciate the opportunity for this interview. Thank you very much!
~ fran pitre
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Personally, we struggled for many years (over 9 years total) with infertility. This is not an experience I’d wish on anyone.
My three multiple pregnancies were very difficult. I went into preterm labor many times with each, had to stop working, and surrender to complete bed rest for months, and went on to deliver my first set at 31 weeks. Although both daughters (fraternal twin girls) grew up healthy and strong, they didn’t start out that way. Our first born had a condition common to preemies who are delivered via C-section called patent ductus arteriosis, a congenital heart defect where a normal fetal blood vessel (the ductus arteriosis) fails to close, and she required surgery at 2 years of age to close the open blood vessel. Her twin, shortly after birth, was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition common to preemies called necrotizing enterocolitis, and received emergency surgery at 2 days old resulting in her losing a small section of her small intestine.
My second pregnancy was with triplets. I miscarried one baby and went on to deliver this baby with the remaining surviving boy/girl twins at 35 weeks. I’ve mourned the loss of my child ever since. With my third pregnancy, after fighting to stay pregnant for months, I delivered our twin boys at 33 weeks, who still required a 5-week hospital stay in the NICU due to weight loss and breathing problems.
With years of infertility, we only had some minor assistance for my first and second pregnancy. My third multiple pregnancy was completely spontaneous!
Writing and updating my book/audiobook has been a form of cathartic therapy, and a way to share our story to hopefully inspire others along their journeys.
So, it has not been a smooth road. However, my husband and I have always relied on our faith in God along the way. We continue to love each other, celebrate life and appreciate that God has seen us through so much. We’ve come through sick, hospitalized children and the losses of both of our fathers. God has seen us through job losses and financial struggles, and everything else we all face day to day, especially these last several crazy years. Our eldest son was very ill with the 2020 global virus, leaving him sick on and off for 2 years. In fact, he often still struggles with some health issues related to that illness. Both Bruce’s and my mother are 86 (one is 10 days older that the other), and both have health problems related to their declining years. Bruce’s brothers in Louisiana are caring for their mother, who now resides in a nursing home, and I travel to Orlando frequently to help my mother who lives alone in her retirement home apartment, partially disabled.
Regarding my book and music career, it’s been uphill all the way. With so much talent in Northeast Florida and so many bands to compete with for gigs, I’m very grateful that we stay consistently busy. The pandemic certainly threw a wrench into the momentum that began in 2019, came to an abrupt stop for more than a year, then slowly began to regain steam again. All along the way, using valuable time to create and produce new music was very therapeutic, even while home schooling our sons for over a year.
The amount of work that it takes to become a good musical group is sometimes overwhelming, and the public truly only sees the tip of the iceberg during performances. Staying on top of our game is constant work as we strive for excellence in our product and reputation.
We’ve lost some beloved musicians over the years as well, including a very loved saxophonist who battled kidney and liver disease for years, and most recently one of my dearest friends, our keyboardist and an amazing vocalist passed after a short battle with cancer.
Despite the struggles, losses and heartache, gratitude covers it all. What a journey this has all been so far, and it’s an honor to be on this road, both personally and professionally. I can’t wait to see what’s around the next bend!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a graphic designer, I am proud to have worked many years for Computer Sciences Corporation in their Northern Virginia Presentations and Publications Department in the mid 1990s and worked through the early 2000s on a freelance basis from my Florida home, during which time my design contributions included multiple large trade show and conference print materials from invitations to programs to signage; large project proposal executive summaries; and multiple new product presentations. As an independent graphic designer in Florida, I created magazine products and services information materials for clients including UF Shands Hospital, Citicorp, and created ads and editorial layouts for Jax Islander Magazine and multiple South Georgia Counties Chamber of Commerce welcome magazines among various other products.
As a published author, I’m proud of my book “TWINS x3” from its earliest 2009 edition through its 2019 10-Year Anniversary edition, and also its author-narrated 2024 audio book version. It’s truly my heart and soul. It tells our family’s story from my point of view, and the later versions include my story of returning to professional music.
As a singer/songwriter, I believe the music that I’ve co-written and co-produced is of the highest excellence. The music is timeless, relevant, poignant, emotion-stirring, and beautifully executed. The excellent, experienced musicians and sound engineers that I’ve collaborated with are the reason that this dream came true. Album #1 called “YOU ALWAYS WERE” contains 7 tracks and was completed and released in November of 2018. Album #2, entitled “FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS” contains 10 tracks and was nominated for “Pop Album of the Year” with the globally-recognized Josie Music Awards. Album #3 is called “NOTHING TO FEAR” contains 9 tracks and was nominated for “Multi-genre Album of the Year”, while 5 singles received nominations for “Song of the Year” of various genres. I’m also happy to announce that album #4 is currently in the creative stages.
I hope that the readers/listeners who’ve read my story are entertained, educated, empowered and inspired. I hope that all who have listened to my music (available on CD and on all music streaming platforms), are entertained while receiving comfort and joy. The music is predominantly positive and uplifting, few of which are faith-inspired.
I’ve listed products that I’ve contributed to the creation of, but of all my work, being able to provide live, enjoyable entertainment is very fulfilling, and is a lot of fun! I love performing with my band of musicians called Class Act, who over the years have become family, and who have now formed an individual unique sound and visual experience when we come together because of the years we performed together. I look forward to touring with Blue Jay’s Rockin Review starting this summer, as well. Traveling and bringing a combined powerhouse of experience and talent will be an honor to be a part of, and I just can’t wait!
But of all the creativity I’ve been surrounded by, my family, the incredible children my husband and I have been blessed to have entrusted to us temporarily as they grow into the people they’re meant to be, are the most precious and rewarding aspects of my entire life. I’m also proud to say that my husband Bruce and I have been married 41 years, which I understand is fairly rare.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
After not performing nor doing any type of singing other than in my vehicle or my office working for over 20 years, stepping back on stage to sing live and take the chance of releasing music and my book was all terrifying, but the desire to pursue this career again was stronger than the fear of bombing. It’s taken time to practice and grow, and I have to say that I believe that reaching a respectable level took a lot of time, a lot of mistakes and a lot of practice.
I took a risk and invested in all of my music creation, production and distribution, and in the 3 releases of my book. It was all self-published so it never made the NY Times Best Seller list as I may have if I’d been traditionally published. I’ve been approached continually by sources claiming to be literary agents ready to pitch my story to traditional publishers for the sale and rights to my book. That’s a risk I won’t take because there are simply too many fraudulent scams out there posing as literary agents. I may, one day, agree to have the story adapted to film, which I continually receive requests for.
I’ve taken the risk 3 times to invest in expensive public relations and publicity campaigns for my book and music. During these campaigns, I’ve had multiple online interviews, podcast interviews, radio interviews, book signings and article contribution opportunities. However, has the news gone national or global despite 3 separate pricey, multi-month campaigns? No, sadly. Promises and efforts that never reach quite far enough. But, I’m patient.
Pricing:
- My 3 albums are available to stream or download on my website: franpitresings.com for $9.99 each
- Music on CD: go to https://www.franpitresings.com/buy-my-cd. Each album is $11.99 which includes shipping/handling
- My book/audiobook are available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Twins-X-3-Fran-Pitre-ebook/dp/B07MBF4ZJF?ref_=ast_author_mpb
- All music available on all music streaming platforms which have various membership prices
- TWINSx3.com pricing for book: https://www.twinsx3.com/buy/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://franpitresings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franpitre_live/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fran.pitre1/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-pitre/
- Twitter: https://x.com/fran_pitre
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@franpitre2120
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-119213317/cool-drink-of-water
- Other: https://franpitre.com/
