Dany Franchi (born 3 February 1990 in
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of t ...
, Italy)
is an Italian
electric blues
Electric blues refers to any type of blues music distinguished by the use of electric amplification for musical instruments. The guitar was the first instrument to be popularly amplified and used by early pioneers T-Bone Walker in the late 19 ...
guitarist, singer and songwriter. Franchi has recorded three albums to date, with the first two crediting his backing band. His third studio album, ''Problem Child'' (2018), peaked at number 4 in the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Top Blues Albums Chart.
Anson Funderburgh stated that "Dany is one of my favorite young blues artists. He has an exciting fresh approach to the music while keeping it honest."
Life and career
Franchi was born in
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of t ...
, Italy.
In 2008, he graduated with a degree in music gained in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4  ...
, and soon thereafter commenced his professional career in music. In 2011, he won the Blues for Youth Award in his homeland. His debut effort entitled, ''Free Feeling'', was released in 2012. The collection featured his fellows Italians, Paolo Bonfanti and Guitar Ray,
along with the 2007
International Blues Challenge
The International Blues Challenge (IBC) is a music competition run by the Blues Foundation.
Notable blues artists that have competed in the IBC over the years also includes Fiona Boyes, Eden Brent, Michael Burks, Tommy Castro, Sean Costello, ...
winner and
Ohio
Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
resident Sean Carney.
In February 2014, Franchi relocated to the United States and record his second album ''I Believe'', was recorded in
Cadiz, Ohio
Cadiz ( ) is a village in Cadiz Township, Harrison County, Ohio, United States located about 20 miles from Steubenville. The population was 3,353 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Harrison County.
History
Cadiz was founded in 1803 a ...
, with Carney producing the album. In January, 2016, Franchi and his backing band reached the semi-final of the International Blues Challenge in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...
. Later the same year, he played at the Dallas International Guitar Festival.
Between 2016 and 2017, Franchi appeared at other blues festivals, including the Doheny Blues Festival (California), Blues from the Top (
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
, United States), Blues 'n Jazz Rallye (
Rapperswil
Rapperswil (Swiss German: or ;Andres Kristol, ''Rapperswil SG (See)'' in: ''Dictionnaire toponymique des communes suisses – Lexikon der schweizerischen Gemeindenamen – Dizionario toponomastico dei comuni svizzeri (DTS, LSG)'', Centre de dial ...
, Switzerland), Olsztyn Blues Festival (
Olsztyn
Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini''
* Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county right ...
, Poland), and the
Augustibluus
August Blues Festival ( et, Augustibluus) is a blues music festival held in Haapsalu, Estonia since 1994.
The festival takes place mainly inside the walls of Haapsalu Castle. It is the biggest blues festival in the Baltic states.
Besides Est ...
Festival (
Haapsalu
Haapsalu () is a seaside resort town located on the west coast of Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Lääne County, and on 1 January 2020 it had a population of 9,375.
Description
Haapsalu has been well known for centuries for its ...
, Estonia).
and many others.
In February 2017,
Anson Funderburgh and Don Ritter, agreed to produce Franchi's third album ''Problem Child''. The recording took place at
Stuart Sullivan’s Wire Recording Studio in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
. The album was released on May 18, 2018, on
Kara Grainger's own label, Station House Records.
The collection contained 13 tracks, mostly written by Franchi. Three of the tracks were cover versions. The instrumental "Sensation" was a re-wording of
Freddie King
Freddie King (September 3, 1934December 28, 1976) was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King and B.B. King, none of whom were blood related). Mo ...
's "Sen-Sa-Shun".
The others included
Eddie Taylor’s "Big Town Playboy," and the
Willie Dixon and
Little Walter
Marion Walter Jacobs (May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968), known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter, whose revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on succeeding generations, earning him ...
penned "Everything Gonna Be Alright."
''Problem Child'', peaked at number 4 in the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Top Blues Albums Chart in June 2018.
Equipment
Franchi uses
GHS strings on his
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuous ...
guitar.
Discography
See also
*
List of electric blues musicians
References
External links
Official websiteInterview with Franchi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franchi, Dany
1990 births
Living people
Italian blues guitarists
Italian male singer-songwriters
Electric blues musicians
Musicians from Genoa
21st-century Italian male singers
21st-century guitarists
Italian blues musicians