Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Fran Pitre Music Artist & Author. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Fran Pitre, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
It’s hard for me to choose one of two meaningful projects, so I hope you don’t mind that I’ve chosen to describe them both.
First:
My book entitled “TWINS x3” began as a therapeutic, cathartic expression through diary-keeping of my experiences as a young woman pregnant for the first time expecting twin daughters. My husband and I went on to have a second set of twins (boy/girl), and then lastly welcomed twin sons, all during which time I worked from home as a busy freelance graphic designer. I decided, following the birth of our third set of twins, that it was time to take my personal anecdotes and assemble them into a book. In 2009/2010 I completed, published and released: “TWINS x3”. In 2020, I re-published an updated version of the book entitled: “TWINS x3, 10-Year Anniversary”. It’s the faith-based emotional roller-coaster story of my life from behind double strollers that provokes tears and laughter as an enjoyable page-turner. Two years ago, I began the process of recording my book to produce the story as an audio book. The final stages of this project are underway now, soon to be completed and released on all audio book sites.
Second:
Prior to having children, I had been a singer my entire life, and while working my day job in graphic design for a large corporation outside of Washington DC by day, I was a lead and back-up singer in a classic and alternative rock band by night. Singing professionally stopped when our first set of twins were born, and although I believed that my singing days were over once our family grew to total eight, I re-entered the professional music world when our youngest boys were ten years old. In the last six years, I have co-written and produced three albums of original music while performing with my own band in northeast Florida. We are known as Fran Pitre & Class Act. My original music has now received “Albums of the Year” nominations (2022 and 2024) and many of my singles have received “Song of the Year” nominations (2022, 2023 and 2024) with the globally-revered Josie Music Association Awards for Independent Music Artists. My music covers many genres including jazz, blues, rock, country, and pop as well as Christian rock songs. My audio book includes the story of my leaving and returning to music, and will feature clips of my original music.
I hope you can understand now why I could not choose just one “most meaningful project”.
Fran Pitre, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As a child and adolescent I was always involved in the performance arts. At age 13, I played the lead in the three-hour musical stage production of “My Fair Lady”, and that was it, I was hooked. I stayed involved in musical theater throughout high school and also in college while completing my degree in communication arts/graphic design. I worked in the advertising field and then for a worldwide corporation as a designer for nine years prior to becoming a mother. Once our children started coming along, I continued to work on a freelance basis from my home office. With my hands already very full, I placed my music career on the back burner, then turned off that burner, and eventually decided to remove the pan from the stove completely once all six children arrived. But unable to stop the passion from eventually re-surfacing 20 years later, I was blessed to be directed to the right people in my life in order to re-launch the music, and also to write and publish three albums of original music as well as publish my book “TWINS x3” twice. My music co-writers, musicians and project collaborators have been incredible blessings, most notably my co-writer/co-producer Kenny Levine. I’m mostly grateful for my faith in God, and for the support of my husband, my family and my closest friends throughout it all. My architect husband Bruce and I met as teenagers, and we’ve now been married for 39 years. Our eldest set of twins (girls) are now 29, our middle set (boy/girl) are 24, and our youngest boys are 16. They’re all incredible young people, each with enormous hearts and amazing talents to offer the world.
The products that are my brand are:
1) My book, e-book (and soon-to-be 2024 audio book) entitled “TWINS x3, 10-Year Anniversary” (2020). It’s subtitle reads: A Mom of three sets of twins gives her personal testimony that all things are possible with God.
2) My band is called “Fran Pitre & Class Act” and we currently perform cover and original music in Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, the Beaches and surrounding areas from Amelia Island to St. Augustine and beyond. We are available for entertainment venues, private, weddings and and corporate events. My hope and goal is to soon expand our travels and take our show of original music on the road.
3) 2018 original music album (seven tracks) entitled: “You Always Were”
4) 2020 original music album (ten tracks) entitled: “Follow Your Dreams”
5) 2024 Original music album (nine tracks) entitled: “Nothing To Fear”
We certainly have a full concert with 26 songs!
When considering what problems I have solved for my clients, I’ve always pursued excellence with utmost professionalism. As a graphic designer, I have always striven to provide creative and clever solutions to accomplish the objectives my clients have wished to achieve. The same holds true for my book and for my music. The story and the songs’ melodies and lyrics are positive, strong, passionate, expressive and clever, and my band is truly a class act, overflowing with talent, skill, reliability and expertise.
I could not be more proud of the work that has been created through outstanding teamwork, and is available to everyone. I truly believe that no one lives this life alone nor is meant to experience life’s challenges and joys without sharing with others along the way. I hope that my story and my music can help to educate, enlighten, entertain, and encourage others … to inspire the listener to never give up on their faith nor in themselves, nor on their desires and dreams because they weren’t given to them by mistake. And that it is never too late to begin again.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I absolutely have a mission that is driving my creative journey. I think we all strive to find our purpose, our reason and what we as individuals are meant to be and do in the life that we are given. I believe we each will one day be asked what use we made of the gifts we were given.
When I realized that I became a 2/1,000,000 odds person by having three sets of twins, not factoring into those stats that we had each of the three possible combinations of twins, I knew I was supposed to do something with this rare status. Be aware that in 2007 when our third set arrived there was very little social media. So I wrote my book’s first edition in 2009/2010. Subsequently, while promoting my book via a PR company, I started doing local and national radio show interviews. I also wrote contributions to national magazine articles and had many online blog interviews. I spoke at Twins Clubs and Christian conferences and participated in book readings and book signings. People of all ages and demographics were interested in this rare story, and books were sold.
Once I restarted my music career in 2017, however, the empowering process of starting again now as a mother and artist no longer in her 30s, the continued inspirational story was valued even more so! I then decided to publish the 10-Year Anniversary Edition of “TWINS x3” in 2020/21.
Women on the other side of raising their families were encouraged that it wasn’t too late to get that college degree, start a new career or launch that business they’d always dreamed of.
My mission and goal truly is to combine my role as author and inspirational speaker with musical performances and to tour worldwide. I would LOVE to share humorous anecdotes at different points throughout our concerts on subjects that include life with twins of all ages, loving each other when it’s really hard to sometimes, finding daily humor, faith and about raising a large family in today’s crazy world … to inspire, encourage and entertain with humor and our uplifting music!
I don’t know how I’m going to make that happen and reach that goal. But I truly believe that it must happen.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
First, put out excellent products and services, then promote them!
Second, I am quite grateful for the promotional and marketing tools available via today’s social media. As a graphic designer, I create my own posts, music images, and album covers/inserts designs. I also manage my 2 websites by keeping them up-to-date as well as my business Facebook and Instagram pages.
On social media with website links, I consistently promote our upcoming events, our music single releases, book and audio book updates, music nomination announcements, album completion and album/CD launch events, and from this process our fan base and followers has grown exponentially. We also get the attention of venues who want to book us! On the personal side, I keep our friends, family and fans occasionally updated with some proud mom announcements and humorous family updates.
For upcoming music events, I stay regularly engaged with our followers. Prior to each event, I send personal, individual invitations to a growing list of followers. This process, though somewhat time consuming, has proven to be worth every minute. Many have replied that this personal attention is what has them choosing our shows over others events in our very active music community. And once people come to see us, they become fans and followers. Our fan base has risen to the point where we sell out our venues regularly. Word of mouth by other followers has also proven very effective!
Most of our band’s performances are free to the public for which we receive payment by the venue, but we have also produced some ticketed events, one of which was a recent benefit concert. It is very rewarding to produce and give benefit events. Followers and fans appreciate and want to buy event tickets to participate when funds are raised for worthy causes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.franpitresings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franpitre_live/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRANPITREandCLASSACT
- 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
- Other: http://franpitre.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fran.pitre1
https://www.facebook.com/FranPitreSings
https://www.facebook.com/francpitre/
Image Credits
FranPitre …. photo credit: Bruce Pitre
FranPitre & ClassAct live …. photo credit: Bruce Pitre
FranPitre & ClassAct PromoImage …. photo credit: various
FranPitre familypic …. Bruce Pitre
FranPitre MusicAlbum 1 … Kay Charleston Photography
FranPitre MusicAlbum 2 … Kay Charleston Photography
FranPitre MusicAlbum 3 … Frank Allen Sr.
FranPitre TWINSx3 Book …. Fran Pitre