Dave "Panama" Francis

David Albert "Panama" Francis (December 21, 1918 – November 13, 2001) was an American swing jazz drummer who played on numerous hit recordings in the 1950s.

Birth and Death Data: Born Miami (city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States), Died November 11, 2001 (Orlando (city in and county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1966

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 160 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Columbia	JZSP43416	10-in.	1957	There's someting wrong with you	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	JZSP43417	10-in.	1957	Alligator wine	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO48077	10-in.	6/25/1952	I'll be sittin' I'll be rockin'	Larry Darnell	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO48078	10-in.	6/25/1952	Singin' my blues	Larry Darnell	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO48079	10-in.	6/25/1952	Better be on my way	Larry Darnell	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO48080	10-in.	6/25/1952	No time at all	Larry Darnell	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO51918	10-in.	9/23/1954	One monkey don't stop no show	Big Maybelle ; Leroy Kirkland Orchestra	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO51919	10-in.	9/23/1954	Don't leave poor me	Big Maybelle ; Leroy Kirkland Orchestra	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO51920	10-in.	9/23/1954	Ain't to be played with	Big Maybelle ; Leroy Kirkland Orchestra	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO51921	10-in.	9/23/1954	New kind of mambo	Big Maybelle ; Leroy Kirkland Orchestra	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO56601	10-in.	9/12/1956	Little demon	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO56602	10-in.	9/12/1956	You ain't foolin' me	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO56603	10-in.	9/12/1956	I put a spell on you	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO56604	10-in.	9/12/1956	Please forgive me	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO57391	10-in.	2/13/1957	You made me love you	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO57392	10-in.	2/13/1957	Yellow coat	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO57393	10-in.	2/13/1957	Hong Kong	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO57394	10-in.	2/13/1957	Darling please forgive me	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO57919	10-in.	5/6/1957	Frenzy	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Columbia	CO57920	10-in.	5/6/1957	Person to person	Screamin' Jay Hawkins	Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	instrumentalist, drums
Atlantic	1143	10-in.	11/05/1953	Off shore	Budd Johnson		instrumentalist, drums
Atlantic	1144	10-in.	11/05/1953	Don't take your love from me	Budd Johnson		instrumentalist, drums
Atlantic	1767	10-in.	11/30/1955	Mary Ann	Ray Charles		instrumentalist, drums
Atlantic	1768	10-in.	11/30/1955	Drown in my own tears	Ray Charles		instrumentalist, drums
Atlantic	1769	10-in.	11/30/1955	Hallelujah I love her so	Ray Charles		instrumentalist, drums

(Results 1-25 of 160 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Francis, Dave "Panama"," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/316094.

Francis, Dave "Panama". (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/316094.

"Francis, Dave "Panama"." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.