Francie

Francie is the pseudonym for the American songwriter and multi instrumentalist Mariah Hawley. Mariah was always surrounded by music, as one of three sisters who studied classical piano. She began her classical piano education at age eight; by her teenage years, Mariah had taught herself to play guitar. It was during this time that she discovered her ability to sing. Mariah’s singing is unique, as she is equally strong at singing both lead and harmony. She can lead a tune with conviction and spot on pitch, and also blend her voice and match tone seamlessly to sing in harmony. This is a direct result of singing with her sisters growing up. Family harmony is a type of blend that can’t be taught and Mariah possesses that divine gift. In her twenties, Mariah combined all of these skills with a knack for writing lyrics and started churning out classic songs. Mariah has a prolific way with writing lyrics. She had penned the full 6 verses of” Phoebe Snow” in one sitting over lunch. As an avid reader, Mariah draws much of her imagery from the pages of novels spanning time and space. She also draws from the local history of the Coal Mining town she grew up in. Songs like “Jackson Merryweather”, “Agnes 72’” and “The Knox Mine” all tell stories from her little corner of this country. Francie is continuing the tradition of classic songwriting while adding her contribution the great American folk songbook.