Frances Black

Frances Black
Black in Newbridge, Ireland in November 2003
Background information
Born	(1960-06-25) 25 June 1960 (age 56) Charlemont Street, Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Celtic Folk
Occupation(s)	Singer, addiction counsellor
Years active	1988 – present
Associated acts	Mary Black The Black Family
Website	Official site for music Official site for politics
Notable instruments
Bodhrán

Frances Black (born 25 June 1960) is an Irish singer and a politician.

She came to prominence in the late 1980s when she began to play with her family's band, The Black Family, performing a mix of traditional and contemporary Irish music.

She was elected to Seanad Éireann as a Senator on her first attempt at a political campaign in 2016, as an independent candidate. She received her nomination from the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland and ran on the Industrial and Commercial Panel. She is a member of The Civil Engagement group in the 25th Seanad.

Frances was born in Charlemont Street, Dublin in 1960 into a very musical family. Her father Kevin was a keen fiddle player and mandolinist, a plasterer by trade and a native of Rathlin Island, County Antrim. Her mother Patty (from Dublin) used to sing in local dancehalls. Frances is the youngest of five children, she has three brothers Shay, Michael and Martin, and one sister, Mary Black, who is also a very well known singer.

Frances's musical career began at 17, when she began singing with her siblings, in her family group, known as The Black Family. She gained confidence in her singing abilities and enhanced her performing skills through joining the band Arcady in 1988, (with former De Dannan member Johnny McDonagh, and Brendan Larrissey, Patsy Broderick, Seán Keane, Cathal Hayden, Sharon Shannon, and Paul Doyle). The group toured in Europe, Iraq and the United States. They recorded their debut album, After the Ball, containing a mixture of traditional tunes and vocals/songs. The single for the album's title track, the song "After the Ball", which featured Frances on lead vocals, performed very well in the Irish charts and also made an impact on the American folk market. Due to her young family, the gruelling touring schedule was too much for Black, so she decided to leave the group. Her last tour with the group was in the US in August 1992.