A longtime jewel of Louisiana music, soul and blues singer/pianist Carol Fran seldom appears in New Orleans nowadays. But she’ll hit town next weekend for two shows at Snug Harbor Saturday night, July 27 . At both shows she’ll be backed up by Davell Crawford and his band; the two have been friends since Crawford’s young days in Lafayette, LA.

Carol Fran performs at Snug Harbor on Saturday, July 27.

Also a Lafayette native, Fran was named last month for a major national honor which she’ll receive in September; a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. This is the nation’s highest honor for folk and traditional arts, instituted to “recognize folk and traditional artists for their artistic excellence and efforts to conserve America’s culture for future generations.” The awards will be presented at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC on September 25, and in a free concert at George Washington University on September 27. Her previous awards include a Slim Harpo Award (as a “Slim Harpo Music Award Legend”), presented to her by OffBeat‘s own Jan Ramsey in Lafayette last year.

Born Carol Martin, Fran grew up on records by Louis Jordan and Dinah Washington. At the age of 15, Carol ran away from home to join the Joe Lutcher Band after she won first prize in a talent show. By 1962 she was frequently working the scene at the Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans. She also got a chance to back blues legends Lonesome Sundown, Lazy Lester and Slim Harpo.

Like Harpo, Fran recorded for the legendary Excello label, which released her debut single “Emmitt Lee” in 1957. More singles followed for other labels, including “Crying in the Chapel” (which she recorded just before Elvis Presley did) and “A World Without You,” written by eternal cool cat Bobby Darin. She also drew from her Creole heritage by singing some of her early rock tunes in French. Beginning in 1982 she worked mainly with the late guitarist Clarence Holliman who also became her husband; the two recorded on the late, lamented Black Top label, and last made the album It’s About Time in 2000. Fran also performed alongside other Excello alumni at the Ponderosa Stomp in 2011.