“Austin singer-songwriter Francis Santori delivers emotive folk-rock storytelling with punk, indie, and grunge-driven instrumentation — shaped by decades as a session musician backing some of the city’s most innovative artists.”

Francis Santori

Emotive folk-rock storytelling — shaped by decades in Austin’s underground, indie, punk, and world-music scenes.

Francis Santori is an Austin-based singer-songwriter whose raw, emotive folk-rock storytelling is fueled by three decades inside the city’s creative bloodstream. A multi-instrumentalist since the early ’90s, Francis spent years as a session and touring musician backing boundary-pushing artists including Oliver Rajamani, David Garza, Govinda, The Alpha Rhythm and Fared Shafinury, absorbing an eclectic mix of world, punk, indie, grunge, electronic and country influences.

Despite years on stages and in studios, it wasn’t until later in his musical journey that Francis picked up the guitar as a writer — and something unlocked. Songs arrived fast, unfiltered, and emotionally unguarded. His work blends folk-rooted lyrical honesty with punk, indie, and grunge-inflected instrumentation, creating a performance style that is both intimate and explosive — delicate one moment, visceral the next.

In 2021, Grammy award winning producer (Alternative Music Album-for Fiona Apple), performer and songwriter, David Garza took immediate interest in Francis and produced Francis’s debut EP, Earth and Ashes (2022). Francis’s latest soon-to-be-released EP is currently being produced by JT Holt. 

Rooted in storytelling yet driven by edge and experimentation, Francis crafts songs that reflect lived experience, earned perspective, and the creative restlessness of an artist who refuses to settle into a single box. Onstage, his presence is warm, direct, and disarming — an invitation into a conversation rather than a performance from afar.

photos (left and bkgd):  Ima Leupp insta - imashoots

Music & live video

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    Paper Tigers 3:35
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    Gusher 4:20
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    Save the Old Ones 4:43
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    Rise 4:11
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    Collide 3:42
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    Fly 4:09
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    Cemetery Friends 4:54
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    Slip Away 3:41
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    Rowing Out 4:21
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    Out there 3:44
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Press photos

Contact

Seeking Booking opportunities For

Full band or Dynamic solo/duo performances for:

  • Large venues
  • Festivals & large events
  • Clubs & live music venues
  • House concerts / private shows
  • Small- to medium-sized venues (acoustic nights, open-mic events, coffee-house gigs, local bars/clubs)
  • Solo-artist lineups or support/acoustic-set slots
  • Recording session work for voice, guitar, bass, cello, and a dozen or so other world string, wind & percussion instruments

Music & Performance Styles 

  • Emotive folk-rock with punk, indie, grunge and world music undertones
  • Strong storytelling, lyric-forward compositions
  • Flexible and broad variety of support line ups