A world-renowned act will soon captivate audiences in the Foothills.
Juno Award-winning folk singer and poet David Francey will take the stage for Beneath the Arch on Saturday, April 26, concluding another season of Diamond Valley's non-profit concert series.
Born in Scotland, Francey has made quite a name for himself in the Canadian music scene, including racking up four Juno Awards — most recently for Best Roots & Traditional Album in 2024 — as well as the International Acoustic Music Award Grand Prize and the John Lennon Songwriting Award in the Folk category.
"I became a professional musician at the age of 45, having been a construction worker for the previous 20 years," said Francey, highlighting his lack of formal training in music. "I wrote songs during those years and put my first album, Torn Screen Door, out in 1999. It garnered enough interest for me to make another, The Far End of Summer, which won a Juno. I gave up construction and went full-time into music at that point... I’ve been performing for 25 years now. All in all, it certainly beats roofing."
After wrapping up a tour in Australia this month, Francey will headline shows across Alberta and Canada, including his highly-anticipated performance in Diamond Valley, where he will be joined by guitarist and frequent collaborator Chris Murphy.
"I always enjoy our runs throughout Alberta and have fond memories of performing in Diamond Valley," said Francey. "The audience was a pure pleasure to play for and the area was, of course, beautiful. I’m looking forward to returning. Grateful for the opportunity."
Unlike many other Beneath the Arch performers, Francey will only be performing his own songs without any covers.
"I only do original songs. It’s why I got into music," he said. "I am a folk performer, plain and simple. I’ve never been anything else. I chronicle my times."
Francey's performance will close out the 2024/2025 season of Beneath the Arch, which presents seven shows annually with revenue going towards initiatives such as the young performing artists' bursary.
"Of course I had no idea we are the final performers for the season. That’s certainly an honour but I won’t be adding any pyrotechnics or interpretive dance to the show because of that. We will just try and make sure folks enjoy the night. We will do our utmost to make that happen," said Francey.
The show will be held at the Flare n' Derrick Community Hall on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.mTickets can be purchased online here or in-person at the Bluerock Gallery and Sheep River Library.
