Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential
alternative rock band
Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name
Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name
Frank Black. After releasing two albums with record label
4AD and one with
American Recordings, he left the label and formed a new band, Frank Black and the Catholics. He re-adopted the name Black Francis in 2007.