David Francey (commentator)

David Francey (born 1954) is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. He is the recipient of four Juno Awards and three Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Early life

Francey was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. He immigrated to Canada with his family at age 12. He has no formal training in music." For David Francey, songs become 'new again ... every night'
Brad Wheeler, ''The Globe and Mail'', Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011

Career

Francey worked as a rail yard worker and a carpenter for 20 years.
''Toronto Star'', Dec. 3, 2016 At age 45, he began a career in folk music, finding success on the folk festival circuit.

Francey's experiences in working-class life strongly influenced his 1999 debut album, ''Torn Screen Door'', which featured the songs "Gypsy Boys", "Hard Steel Mill", "Working Poor", and "Torn Screen Door". Other musical themes include admiration of the natural beauty of the Canadian landscape and traditional folk themes of love and loss.

From 1997 to 2004, Francey was accompanied on guitar by Canadian guitarist and producer Dave Clarke. During that period, Clarke co-produced Francey's first three albums, including the Juno-winning ''Far End of Summer ''and'' Skating Rink''.

His 2004 album, ''The Waking Hour'', is a collaboration with traditional country artists Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch, and Fats Kaplin. It 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, Francey won first prize in the folk category of the 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. In October 2006, Francey toured with New Hampshire-based singer-songwriter Craig Werth, co-producer of Francey's 2007 release, ''Right of Passage''. Canadian guitarist Mark Westberg met Francey in 1999 at Bishop's University and accompanied him occasionally on tour until 2011, when he joined Francey as his primary guitarist.

Francey's 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, his song "The Waking Hour" won the Session I Grand Prize in the folk category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

In 2011, he released an album, ''Late Edition''.

In 2016, Francey won two Canadian Folk Music Awards, solo artist and contemporary album of the year, for his album ''Empty Train''.

Personal life

Francey lives in Elphin, Ontario, with his wife.

Awards and nominations

*Winner, 2002 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for ''Far End of Summer''
*Winner, 2002 Penguin Eggs Magazine's Album Of The Year - Solo, for ''Far End Of Summer''
*Winner, 2003 Penguin Eggs Magazine's Album Of The Year - Solo, for ''Skating Rink''
*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 Awards, Best Singer - Contemporary, for ''Right of Passage''
*Winner, 2008 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for ''Right of Passage''
*Nomination, 2010 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Best Contemporary Album - Collaboration, for ''Seaway''
*Winner, 2010 7th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards)
*Nomination, 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Solo Artist Of The Year
*Nomination, 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards, English Songwriter Of The Year
*Nomination, 2012 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for ''Late Edition''
*Nomination, 2012 Juno Award, Best Music DVD Of The Year - ''Burning Bright''
*Nomination, 2014 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - Solo, for ''So Say We All''
*Winner, 2024 Juno Award, Best Roots & Traditional Album - for ''The Breath Between''

Discography

*''Torn Screen Door'' (1999)
*''Far End of Summer'' (2001)
*''Skating Rink'' (2003)
*''The Waking Hour'' (2004) with Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane and Fats Kaplin
*''The First Set'' (2006)
*''Carols for a Christmas Eve'' (2006)
*''Right of Passage'' (2007)
*''Seaway'' (2009)
*''Late Edition'' (2011)
*''So Say We All'' (2013)
*''Empty Train'' (2016)
*''The Broken Heart of Everything'' (2018)"Empty Train"
''Now Magazine'', Sarah Greene February 24, 2016
*''The Breath Between'' (2023)

References

External links

The Official David Francey Website2005 Biographical articleUSA Songwriting CompetitionJohn Lennon Songwriting Contest
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Francey, David
Living people
1954 births
Canadian folk singer-songwriters
Canadian male singer-songwriters
Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year – Solo winners
People from East Ayrshire
Scottish emigrants to Canada
Canadian Folk Music Award winners
Red House Records artists
People from Lanark County
Juno Award for Traditional Roots Album of the Year winners