Gar was recruited in 2005 to write and play guitar for the Legendary 60’s garage rock band the Doughboys whose debut album (after 40 years) “Is It Now?” produced the hit single Black Sheep that was voted #2 “Coolest Song In The World for 2008” on Little Steven’s Underground Garage. As a side project Gar wrote and produced two garage blues albums “Another Mule In The Barn” and “When The Devil Hits Home” as Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs. Songs from both albums are receiving airplay around the world as well as here in the USA.

Wrote and produced the single “Rocket” as a tribute for the troops serving in the USA Armed Forces and performed it live for the troops at Fort Dix, New Jersey in 2009. Wrote and recorded songs for The Doughboys second CD “Act Your Rage” which produced the new single “I’m Not Your Man”, that Little Steven’s Underground Garage has picked for “Coolest Song In The World” for the week of September 5, 2009. This single was voted by radio listeners #3 Coolest Song In The World for 2009.

2010 brought the release of the second Doughboys album and the first Gar Francis folk album “Love & Protest” which includes 14 original songs of daily life experiences of ordinary people, as well as acoustic versions of “Rocket” and “Raise A Hand”. The lyric and music of the song “Rocket” was shared with Pete Seeger who has taken time out of his very busy schedule to write two letters to Gar regarding the importance of a song like “Rocket” that helps to keep the veterans in our minds and hearts. The folk album also includes a song that is a tribute to Bob Dylan, “Above The Restless Crowd (July 29, 1965)” that speaks about how “we put the weight of the world on the ones that speak out loud”. "Love & Protest" is receiving great reviews internationally.

On February 14, 2012, Gar released his new EP, SHINE ON, which was placed in rotation with many radio stations around the country. In October 2012, Gar finished the 3rd album with the DOUGHBOYS and his Americana album THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME; both albums were released on the newly formed Bongo Boy Records. On top of all this, Gar’s Americana album also received music placements in movies and TV shows.

Two songs one by the DOUGHBOYS "Turn Your Love On Me" and "The Bank Of The River" from Gar's solo album have been placed in the movie FAIRHAVEN. This movie premiered at the 11th Annual Tribeca Film Festival in NYC on April 20, 2012.

Gar has written and produced singles on Bongo Boy Records for regional artists like: “Come On, Come On” for the rock band THE EASY OUTS, "Ballerina Of The Bowery" for New York Rocker JANA PERI, “Won't Cry Anymore for GENYA RAVEN, "Let's Have A Rockin’ Christmas" for JACKIE KRINGLES and THE ELVES, "Born Dainty" for American Idol KELLY CARUSO which was placed in an indie movie and premiered at the Nashville Film Festival in April 2012.

November 18, 2012, Little Steve Van Zandt's Underground Garage Radio Show on Channel 21 Sirius/XM had chosen, "It's A Cryin Shame" off the 3rd album from the DOUGHBOYS, SHAKIN OUR SOULS as the "Coolest Song In The World." It is the 3rd song written by Gar that has receive the "Coolest Song In The World" award. "It's A Cryin’ Shame" was voted into the TOP 10 Coolest Song In The World for 2012, by listeners of the Underground Garage Radio Show.

The DOUGHBOYS' album also received Stevie van Zandt the No.1 album spot in his Top 5 Favorite Album of 2012. Then Gar teamed up with Mark Lindsay the former lead singer from Paul Revere and the Raiders to write and produce the garage rocker "Like Nothing That You've Seen". This is the single from the upcoming Mark Lindsay album as yet untitled, with new original compositions from the Francis/Lindsay collaboration.

February 23, 2013 "Like Nothing That You've Seen" was selected the "Coolest Song In The World" for the week on Little Steven Underground Garage radio show on Channel 21 SiriusXM. The single came in at No 3 of the "Top 10 Singles of the Week" by USA TODAY music critic Edna Gundersen.

May 3, 2013 Gar received an endorsement deal with guitar makers DiPinto Guitars out of Philadelphia, PA. The Belvedere Deluxe with its classic look and sound fits very nicely with Gar's live performances and upcoming recording projects.

June, 2013 the first full album after 9 years of Mark Lindsay drops titled "Life Out Loud". The full album comes with 14 exciting garage rockin tracks; all produced by Gar Francis, written together with Mark Lindsay and recorded at the House of Vibes in Highland Park, NJ.July 28, 2013 "Show Me The Love" was selected the "Coolest Song In The World" for the week on Little Steven Underground Garage radio show on Channel 21 SiriusXM.

January 2014 The Underground Garage announced that Mark Lindsay first single "Like Nothing That You've Seen" landed in the TOP 10 of The Coolest Song In The World for 2013.In 2014 wrote for Crab Bubbles Band their single "Fool For Your Love and co-wrote the upcoming album for Jersey's first supergroup to record and release an album The Satisfactors. (release date 10/2014)

Gar continues to co-write and produce songs with other recording artist under the Bongo Boy Records label. 
The past six months Gar has been out promoting the Doughboys, Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs, and the Gar Francis Band (electric and acoustic) on such radio programs as Q104FM, WRSU, WDIY, WFMU and WNTI, as well as live broadcasts on such cable shows such as, Time/Warner’s “New York Rocks“, Cablevision’s Folk Show “Horses Sing None Of It”, and Toms River’s “The Kenny and Vinnie Show”, Cablevision the Dick Craig Rock N Roll Show, Comcast TV Bongo Boy Rock n Roll TV show series and Artie Lange Show on DirecTV.

Gar also continues performing live shows throughout New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania such as The Dewey Beach Pop Festival, the Hoboken Street Fair, the Blues Festival at Centenary College, The Record Collector in Bordentown, Vintage Vinyl in Woodbridge, Crossroads in Garwood, The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, Maxwell’s in Hoboken, Showtime in Belvidere, Cafe Improv, Princeton, NJ, shows at BB Kings in NYC with the Yardbirds, and Albert Music Hall in Waretown, NJ.

Gar has been awarded for songwriting: The John Lennon Song Contest, The Unisong Music Awards and an Honorable Mention in the Billboard Song Contest and is an active member of the Recording Academy.
With all this, Gar still finds time for his first passion, writing songs.  email Gar Francis at garfrancissongs@aol.com