Fran Tate

Fran Tate (also known as Fran Payne, died 1997) was an American singer, songwriter and recording engineer.

Biography Tate was a backing singer and songwriter for the American rock band Little Feat and was the first wife of the band's keyboard player and vocalist Bill Payne. The couple first met at the Blue Seas Recording Studio in Hunt Valley, Maryland when Tate came, with her friend Emmylou Harris, to provide backing vocals on the 1974 album Feats Don't Fail Me Now. Bonnie Raitt also sang on the album.

Tate was the co-writer, alongside husband Payne, of the song "Day or Night", which first appeared on the 1975 The Last Record Album. They also collaborated on the song "Pleasin' Each Other" which was recorded by Bonnie Raitt for her 1975 album Home Plate.

Discography As vocalist 1974: Little Feat – Feats Don't Fail Me Now 1975: Robert Palmer – Pressure Drop 1975: Little Feat – The Last Record Album 2000: Little Feat – Hotcakes & Outtakes 2014: Little Feat – Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971–1990

As engineer 1975: Emmylou Harris – Pieces of the Sky