Celebrated for his musical storytelling, Scottish-born, Canadian carpenter-turned-songwriter David Francey, will bring his beautifully crafted songs, warm voice, engaging stories and wry humor to the Irish Fest Center, 1532 Wauwatosa Ave., Milwaukee, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Joining the three-time Juno Award-winning performer is a stellar touring band composed of guitarist Mark Westberg, banjo picker Chris Coole, and Cape Breton multi-instrumentalist Darren McMullen.
Francey is touring in support of his 10th album, So Say We All, which was released in May by Red House Records. The 14 original songs about real people and places are so authentic they could be traditional, so perfectly poetic and singable with stick-in-your-head melodies that they are instant classics. Capturing both life’s dark times as well as shining moments, Francey says that, "The lesson learned was to celebrate every day…to keep marching no matter what..."
Born in Ayershire, Scotland, Francey grew to love poetry while hearing his father recite the poems of native son Robert Burns. Emigrating to Canada with his family when he was 12, he hitchhiked across the country while still in his teens and later found work as a Yukon bush wacker, truck driver, and carpenter. Those experiences surfaced in lyrics and melodies he wrote in his head while hammering away on construction sites. Songs about rail lines, farms and the St. Lawrence Seaway colored his first album, Torn Screen Door, in 1999.
Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Admission for students is $10 and children younger than 12 are free. For tickets and more information, call (414) 332-8521 or e-mail kthlnschultz@gmail.com.
