David Francey

In the late '90s, David Francey emerged as a celebrated folksinger and storyteller across Canada. Born in 1954 in Ayrshire, Scotland, Francey's life was surrounded by the respect of the working class and the solace of traditional Scottish songs. By age 12, he and his family moved to Toronto. On the weekends, they would drive through southern Ontario to explore the countryside while singing. His love for traveling as a young man also influenced his musical enjoyment. Traditional folk is his calling, although he's a man of other things: a carpenter, a husband, and a father. Francey's success has allowed him to host various songwriting workshops that have included artists such as Kathy Mattea, Dougie MacLean, the Be Good Tanyas, Jesse Winchester, and the Ennis Sisters. He's also shared several presentations with Billy Bragg, Oysterband, Ashley MacIsaac, and Sylvia Tyson. In 1999, he issued his debut, Torn Screen Door, on his own label, Laker Music. He was hailed as passionate and authentic and fellow folk musician James Keelaghan exclaimed "David Francey is the best Canadian folk writer that I have heard in 20 years." Two years later, Francey released his second album, Far End of Summer, and went on to perform at several folk festivals in Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver that same year. He returned in 2003 with Skating Rink.