By Peter Jabs
Scottish immigrant David Francey worked his way across Canada for decades all the while making up songs and singing them to himself while he toiled. His wife encouraged him to put out his first album in 1999 at the age of 45 and today he is among the foremost folk singer-songwriters in our country. In So Say We All, his tenth collection of songs, he takes us from rainy-day heartbreak and despair to understanding, acceptance, love and open blue skies. Clean production features plucky acoustic strings (including mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, guitar and mandolo) recorded straight off the floor to a capella vocals and piano. His warm, close and gentle burry voice draws in the listener and embraces him. The result, if the album is experienced in the intended order, is a journey from the depths of depression through solace to the heights of heartlove.
Francey has won three JUNOS, topped the Penguin EggsCritics Poll three times, earned a Canadian Folk Music Award and a Socan Award. His song “Skating Rink,” a tribute to small-town backyard rinks, became a staple of CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada broadcasts. Francey’s songs have been covered by well-known artists such as The Del McCoury Band, The Rankin Family, The Barra MacNeils and Tracy Grammer, and Francey has co-written with the Trews, who perform two of his songs as part of their live shows. He is also nominated for a 2013 Canadian Folk Music Award.
David Francey will be playing at the Murillo Community Centre on Saturday, October 12, 2013, advance tickets are $25 and are available online at www.davidfrancey.com, and locally at Steeper’s Tea, Murillo Variety, Wilson’s Store, Calico, and Chaltrek. Tickets are the door will be $30.
