Francis Jackson Craig was the son of Frances Hewitt Frost and Rev. Robert James Craig.
Francis was a Composer and Orchestra leader whose "smooth and pleasing" music captivated the World War II generation.
Mr. Craig, the writer and composer of love tunes which topped the Hit Parade best-seller list time and again, past away in Emerald Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee after suffering a heart attack.
One of Craig's greatest hits was the song "Near You" which was recorded in 1947 and sold 35 million copies. Other all-time hits by Craig included "Beg Your Pardon," "Tennessee Tango," "To Much Sugar for a Dime," and "Don't Make Me Sorry."
Craig gained an international reputation by helping launch the careers of entertainers such as Dinah Shore, Snooky Lanson, and James Melton. He had lived in Nashville almost continuously since he came here in 1919 to attend Vanderbilt University.
In 1961, he consented to write the word for Women for U.S.A., an organization which promotes patriotism. He performed at the Belle Meade Country Club at the club's anniversary party.
Craig also composed "Dynamite," an official Vanderbilt University fight song. It was at Vanderbilt that Craig organized his first band. Their debut engagement was a Sigma Nu dance, for which they received $45. A maestro at the piano, Craig was an excellent entertainer by himself. He was also a good player of the "bone"--two spoons.
By 1929, Craig had graduated from local fraternity dances to hotel, radio and out of town engagements.
Craig played at the Hermitage Hotel for nearly a quarter of a century -- the longest hotel engagement on record and his orchestra was the first studio band to board cast over station WSM. He served as musical director of WSM for a number of years and originated the network show, "Sunday Down South" over that station.
Craig's inclination for music became evident early. He described it best himself in a newspaper article in 1955 when he wrote: "I'll never forget the first time my name was in print. It was a small item on the front page of the old Nashville American and was captioned: "Minister's Son Leaps from Window in Sleep." I was just sixteen and living in Gallatin. My father didn't approve of my going to public dances. "A famous colored band from Memphis was going to play there, and my father said he didn't think I should go. The night that band played in Gallatin was a hot July night with a full moon and that was the first time I really learned I had music in my soul. "I'd been sleep walking and was trying to break myself by strapping my wrist to the bed. When the strains of that band began drifting on the summer breeze, I united the leather strap in my sleep, walked to the window, raised the screen and jumped thirty feet from the third floor,
Craig liked to recall that he was "sort of a black sheep" in the family until his recording of "Near You" swept the world. "Near You" was the first recorded hit to come out of Nashville and gave impetus to the movement which brought in this city the title of "Music City U.S.A."
Mr. Craig was a member and trustee of West End Methodist Church.
Francis married Elizabeth Lazinka Gewin on October 20, 1924 in Birmingham, Alabama. To this union two daughters were born, Celesta (1929) and Donia Craig (1932). Six grandchildren.
A graveside service was held with Dr. Ben B. St. Clair officiating.
Francis was a Composer and Orchestra leader whose "smooth and pleasing" music captivated the World War II generation.
Mr. Craig, the writer and composer of love tunes which topped the Hit Parade best-seller list time and again, past away in Emerald Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee after suffering a heart attack.
One of Craig's greatest hits was the song "Near You" which was recorded in 1947 and sold 35 million copies. Other all-time hits by Craig included "Beg Your Pardon," "Tennessee Tango," "To Much Sugar for a Dime," and "Don't Make Me Sorry."
Craig gained an international reputation by helping launch the careers of entertainers such as Dinah Shore, Snooky Lanson, and James Melton. He had lived in Nashville almost continuously since he came here in 1919 to attend Vanderbilt University.
In 1961, he consented to write the word for Women for U.S.A., an organization which promotes patriotism. He performed at the Belle Meade Country Club at the club's anniversary party.
Craig also composed "Dynamite," an official Vanderbilt University fight song. It was at Vanderbilt that Craig organized his first band. Their debut engagement was a Sigma Nu dance, for which they received $45. A maestro at the piano, Craig was an excellent entertainer by himself. He was also a good player of the "bone"--two spoons.
By 1929, Craig had graduated from local fraternity dances to hotel, radio and out of town engagements.
Craig played at the Hermitage Hotel for nearly a quarter of a century -- the longest hotel engagement on record and his orchestra was the first studio band to board cast over station WSM. He served as musical director of WSM for a number of years and originated the network show, "Sunday Down South" over that station.
Craig's inclination for music became evident early. He described it best himself in a newspaper article in 1955 when he wrote: "I'll never forget the first time my name was in print. It was a small item on the front page of the old Nashville American and was captioned: "Minister's Son Leaps from Window in Sleep." I was just sixteen and living in Gallatin. My father didn't approve of my going to public dances. "A famous colored band from Memphis was going to play there, and my father said he didn't think I should go. The night that band played in Gallatin was a hot July night with a full moon and that was the first time I really learned I had music in my soul. "I'd been sleep walking and was trying to break myself by strapping my wrist to the bed. When the strains of that band began drifting on the summer breeze, I united the leather strap in my sleep, walked to the window, raised the screen and jumped thirty feet from the third floor,
Craig liked to recall that he was "sort of a black sheep" in the family until his recording of "Near You" swept the world. "Near You" was the first recorded hit to come out of Nashville and gave impetus to the movement which brought in this city the title of "Music City U.S.A."
Mr. Craig was a member and trustee of West End Methodist Church.
Francis married Elizabeth Lazinka Gewin on October 20, 1924 in Birmingham, Alabama. To this union two daughters were born, Celesta (1929) and Donia Craig (1932). Six grandchildren.
A graveside service was held with Dr. Ben B. St. Clair officiating.
Francis Jackson Craig was the son of Frances Hewitt Frost and Rev. Robert James Craig.
Francis was a Composer and Orchestra leader whose "smooth and pleasing" music captivated the World War II generation.
Mr. Craig, the writer and composer of love tunes which topped the Hit Parade best-seller list time and again, past away in Emerald Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee after suffering a heart attack.
One of Craig's greatest hits was the song "Near You" which was recorded in 1947 and sold 35 million copies. Other all-time hits by Craig included "Beg Your Pardon," "Tennessee Tango," "To Much Sugar for a Dime," and "Don't Make Me Sorry."
Craig gained an international reputation by helping launch the careers of entertainers such as Dinah Shore, Snooky Lanson, and James Melton. He had lived in Nashville almost continuously since he came here in 1919 to attend Vanderbilt University.
In 1961, he consented to write the word for Women for U.S.A., an organization which promotes patriotism. He performed at the Belle Meade Country Club at the club's anniversary party.
Craig also composed "Dynamite," an official Vanderbilt University fight song. It was at Vanderbilt that Craig organized his first band. Their debut engagement was a Sigma Nu dance, for which they received $45. A maestro at the piano, Craig was an excellent entertainer by himself. He was also a good player of the "bone"--two spoons.
By 1929, Craig had graduated from local fraternity dances to hotel, radio and out of town engagements.
Craig played at the Hermitage Hotel for nearly a quarter of a century -- the longest hotel engagement on record and his orchestra was the first studio band to board cast over station WSM. He served as musical director of WSM for a number of years and originated the network show, "Sunday Down South" over that station.
Craig's inclination for music became evident early. He described it best himself in a newspaper article in 1955 when he wrote: "I'll never forget the first time my name was in print. It was a small item on the front page of the old Nashville American and was captioned: "Minister's Son Leaps from Window in Sleep." I was just sixteen and living in Gallatin. My father didn't approve of my going to public dances. "A famous colored band from Memphis was going to play there, and my father said he didn't think I should go. The night that band played in Gallatin was a hot July night with a full moon and that was the first time I really learned I had music in my soul. "I'd been sleep walking and was trying to break myself by strapping my wrist to the bed. When the strains of that band began drifting on the summer breeze, I united the leather strap in my sleep, walked to the window, raised the screen and jumped thirty feet from the third floor,
Craig liked to recall that he was "sort of a black sheep" in the family until his recording of "Near You" swept the world. "Near You" was the first recorded hit to come out of Nashville and gave impetus to the movement which brought in this city the title of "Music City U.S.A."
Mr. Craig was a member and trustee of West End Methodist Church.
Francis married Elizabeth Lazinka Gewin on October 20, 1924 in Birmingham, Alabama. To this union two daughters were born, Celesta (1929) and Donia Craig (1932). Six grandchildren.
A graveside service was held with Dr. Ben B. St. Clair officiating.
Francis was a Composer and Orchestra leader whose "smooth and pleasing" music captivated the World War II generation.
Mr. Craig, the writer and composer of love tunes which topped the Hit Parade best-seller list time and again, past away in Emerald Hodgson Hospital in Sewanee after suffering a heart attack.
One of Craig's greatest hits was the song "Near You" which was recorded in 1947 and sold 35 million copies. Other all-time hits by Craig included "Beg Your Pardon," "Tennessee Tango," "To Much Sugar for a Dime," and "Don't Make Me Sorry."
Craig gained an international reputation by helping launch the careers of entertainers such as Dinah Shore, Snooky Lanson, and James Melton. He had lived in Nashville almost continuously since he came here in 1919 to attend Vanderbilt University.
In 1961, he consented to write the word for Women for U.S.A., an organization which promotes patriotism. He performed at the Belle Meade Country Club at the club's anniversary party.
Craig also composed "Dynamite," an official Vanderbilt University fight song. It was at Vanderbilt that Craig organized his first band. Their debut engagement was a Sigma Nu dance, for which they received $45. A maestro at the piano, Craig was an excellent entertainer by himself. He was also a good player of the "bone"--two spoons.
By 1929, Craig had graduated from local fraternity dances to hotel, radio and out of town engagements.
Craig played at the Hermitage Hotel for nearly a quarter of a century -- the longest hotel engagement on record and his orchestra was the first studio band to board cast over station WSM. He served as musical director of WSM for a number of years and originated the network show, "Sunday Down South" over that station.
Craig's inclination for music became evident early. He described it best himself in a newspaper article in 1955 when he wrote: "I'll never forget the first time my name was in print. It was a small item on the front page of the old Nashville American and was captioned: "Minister's Son Leaps from Window in Sleep." I was just sixteen and living in Gallatin. My father didn't approve of my going to public dances. "A famous colored band from Memphis was going to play there, and my father said he didn't think I should go. The night that band played in Gallatin was a hot July night with a full moon and that was the first time I really learned I had music in my soul. "I'd been sleep walking and was trying to break myself by strapping my wrist to the bed. When the strains of that band began drifting on the summer breeze, I united the leather strap in my sleep, walked to the window, raised the screen and jumped thirty feet from the third floor,
Craig liked to recall that he was "sort of a black sheep" in the family until his recording of "Near You" swept the world. "Near You" was the first recorded hit to come out of Nashville and gave impetus to the movement which brought in this city the title of "Music City U.S.A."
Mr. Craig was a member and trustee of West End Methodist Church.
Francis married Elizabeth Lazinka Gewin on October 20, 1924 in Birmingham, Alabama. To this union two daughters were born, Celesta (1929) and Donia Craig (1932). Six grandchildren.
A graveside service was held with Dr. Ben B. St. Clair officiating.
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