Francine Rees joined the New Seekers in 2002, making her first stage appearance at Warners Bodelwyddan Castle on 8th June that year.
Francine grew up in Manchester. Having left school at 16, she joined an all-girl group called the Dollies. She went on to work as a session singer for Granada television, and like Lyn Paul and Eve Graham, sang with Mecca dancehall bands, including a spell with the New Voyage, the group that followed The Nocturnes into Tiffanys in Manchester.
In the '70s Francine and her husband Roger Walburn worked on the UK cabaret circuit as Sam and Samantha, supporting top-of-the-bill artists such as Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, Les Dawson, Bruce Forsyth and Johnny Mathis. In 1976 the duo released their only single, Music Music Music.

New Seekers, photographed in 2005.
Pictured (left to right):
Mark Hankins, Donna Jones, Paul Layton, Francine Rees and Mick Flinn.
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