University of Illinois Press Do My Heart Good: My Odyssey Through Country Music, Medicine, and History (Country Music Foundation Press)

Beyond the Weeping Willow is the autobiography of country music recording artist and practicing cardiologist Cleve Francis. Born to a struggling family in the small town of Jennings, Louisiana, Cleveland Francis Jr. overcame numerous hurdles―through hard work and resolve―to become a respected and successful medical doctor and also one of the few Black artists ever to record country music for a major record label. Francis recorded three albums for Liberty Records during the early 1990s, which included his charting singles "Love Light" and "You Do My Heart Good," among others. He toured nationally and internationally, and he appeared frequently on television. Along the way, he was able to observe the Nashville music industry up close. He shares those observations candidly in his autobiography. The book traces three key threads throughout the life of Francis: his lifelong love of performing music and writing songs, his abiding interest in science and medicine, and his determination to overcome racial barriers through personal achievement. Francis's life story provides insights into the experiences of a gifted singer navigating the high-stakes world of country music in the 1990s and the all-too-common struggles of Black Americans for equity in this country. Above all, this is a story of perseverance and ultimate triumph in the face of many obstacles.