David Francey
Encyclopedia
David Francey is a Canadian
folk
singer-songwriter. Born in 1954 in Ayrshire
, Scotland
, Francey immigrated to Canada with his family at age 12. After spending much of his life doing labour such as carpentry, he began a career in folk music, quickly making a name for himself on the folk festival circuit, where he continues to perform.
Francey's experiences in working-class life strongly influenced his 1999 debut, Torn Screen Door, which featured songs such as "Gypsy Boys", "Hard Steel Mill" and "Working Poor", and "Torn Screen Door", an A capella folk harmony sung with Jenn Cianca. Other musical themes include admiration of the natural beauty of the Canadian landscape, and traditional folk themes of love and loss.
His 2004 album, The Waking Hour, is a collaboration with traditional country artists Kieran Kane
, Kevin Welch
and Fats Kaplin, and includes some of his darker material, including "Wishing Well" about the execution of Timothy McVeigh
, and "Fourth of July", a political commentary on the post-September 11
United States
. In 2004, David Francey won first prize of the Folk Category of the prestigious 9th Annual USA Songwriting Competition.
Accompanied by fellow Canadian guitarist, Shane Simpson
until October 2006, Francey toured various locations across Canada, the United States, England, Scotland, and Australia. Since October 2006, Francey has been touring with New Hampshire-based singer-songwriter Craig Werth, co-producer of Francey's 2007 release, "Right of Passage."
His 2009 album, Seaway is a collaboration with Mike Ford, former member of Moxy Früvous
. It is a collection of songs inspired by their voyage on M.S. Algoville.
In 2010, David Francey won the Overall Grand Prize of the 7th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards).
Francey currently lives in Elphin, Ontario
with his wife Beth Girdler and their three children: Colin, Julia and Amy.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer-songwriter. Born in 1954 in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Francey immigrated to Canada with his family at age 12. After spending much of his life doing labour such as carpentry, he began a career in folk music, quickly making a name for himself on the folk festival circuit, where he continues to perform.
Francey's experiences in working-class life strongly influenced his 1999 debut, Torn Screen Door, which featured songs such as "Gypsy Boys", "Hard Steel Mill" and "Working Poor", and "Torn Screen Door", an A capella folk harmony sung with Jenn Cianca. Other musical themes include admiration of the natural beauty of the Canadian landscape, and traditional folk themes of love and loss.
His 2004 album, The Waking Hour, is a collaboration with traditional country artists Kieran Kane
Kieran Kane
Kieran Kane is an American country music artist, as well as the owner of Dead Reckoning Records, an independent record label. Between 1986 and 1990, he and Jamie O'Hara comprised The O'Kanes, a duo which charted seven singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, including the Number...
, Kevin Welch
Kevin Welch
Kevin Welch is an American country music artist. He has charted five singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and released eight studio albums...
and Fats Kaplin, and includes some of his darker material, including "Wishing Well" about the execution of Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
, and "Fourth of July", a political commentary on the post-September 11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2004, David Francey won first prize of the Folk Category of the prestigious 9th Annual USA Songwriting Competition.
Accompanied by fellow Canadian guitarist, Shane Simpson
Shane Simpson (musician)
Shane Simpson is a Canadian jazz guitarist from Ottawa, Ontario. Simpson is a musician, guitar instructor, record producer and audio engineer. He performs technically demanding fingerstyle-jazz compositions.-Musical career:...
until October 2006, Francey toured various locations across Canada, the United States, England, Scotland, and Australia. Since October 2006, Francey has been touring with New Hampshire-based singer-songwriter Craig Werth, co-producer of Francey's 2007 release, "Right of Passage."
His 2009 album, Seaway is a collaboration with Mike Ford, former member of Moxy Früvous
Moxy Früvous
Moxy Früvous was a politically satirical folk-pop band from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. The band was founded in 1989, and was active throughout the 1990s...
. It is a collection of songs inspired by their voyage on M.S. Algoville.
In 2010, David Francey won the Overall Grand Prize of the 7th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards).
Francey currently lives in Elphin, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
with his wife Beth Girdler and their three children: Colin, Julia and Amy.
Awards and nominations
- Winner, 2002 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for Far End of Summer
- Winner, 2004 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for Skating Rink
- Winner, First Prize (Folk), 9th Annual USA Songwriting Competition
- Nomination, 2005 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for The Waking Hour
- Winner, 2007 Canadian Folk Music AwardsCanadian Folk Music AwardsThe Canadian Folk Music Awards are an annual music awards ceremony, presenting awards in a variety of categories for achievements in both traditional and contemporary folk music, and other roots music genres, by Canadian musicians...
, Best Singer - Contemporary, for Right of Passage - Winner, 2008 Juno AwardJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for Right of Passage - Winner, 2010 7th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards)
Discography
- Torn Screen Door (1999)
- Far End of Summer (2001)
- Skating Rink (2003)
- The Waking Hour (2004) with Kevin WelchKevin WelchKevin Welch is an American country music artist. He has charted five singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and released eight studio albums...
, Kieran KaneKieran KaneKieran Kane is an American country music artist, as well as the owner of Dead Reckoning Records, an independent record label. Between 1986 and 1990, he and Jamie O'Hara comprised The O'Kanes, a duo which charted seven singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, including the Number...
and Fats Kaplin - The First Set (2006)
- Carols for a Christmas Eve (2006)
- Right of Passage (2007)
- Seaway (2009)
- Late Edition (2011)