Calgary, April 5th 2008 - David Francey won his third JUNO in the Roots and Traditional - Solo category. He is absolutely thrilled to win the award, it is every bit as exciting as receiving his first JUNO for Far End of Summer. This honour means a great deal to David as this category is judged by his peers. In just six years David has had 4 JUNO nominations and won 3 JUNOs! Wow!

If you’d like to hear David’s acceptance speech just watch this video taken by Beth (who was also very pleased to be at the ceremonies in Calgary!)

David took part in the 5th annual JUNO cup while he was in Calgary playing on the NHL team as their goalie - also a thrill!

Last, but not least, David was part of the first ever presentation of classical music at JUNOfest. David was honoured to narrate for JUNO nominee, cellist Matt Haimovitz for his performance of “After Reading Shakespear”

David will be suiting up for the JUNO cup on April 5th in Calgary. This wonderful event helps raise money for Musican. Please read the official press release below for more details.

For Immediate Release

Reuniting members of the ’89 Calgary Flames Line-Up for the
5^th Annual Juno Cup

Tickets to annual celebrity fundraiser in support of MusiCan go on sale
Saturday, February 23 at 10 AM (MST)

Toronto, ON (February 20, 200 - It’s hockey night in Calgary as the game’s legends and celebrity musicians face off at centre ice for the 5^th Annual Juno Cup game. As part of Juno Awards Weekend Events, the Juno Cup Presented by The Keg Steakhouse & Bar is a fan favourite that pairs an all-star line-up of NHL Greats against celebrity Rockers for a fundraiser to benefit MusiCan, the charitable arm of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS). Juno Cup will take place at The Stampede Corral, Stampede Park, on Friday, April 4^th at 7:30 p.m. (MST) in Calgary, AB.

Tickets to the annual hockey tradition go on sale this weekend starting Saturday, February 23^rd at 10:00 a.m. (MST). Juno Cup fans can purchase tickets for $15 each (plus service charges) at ticketmaster.ca or by calling 403-777-0000.

TSN’s Off the Record host, Michael Landsberg, will be announcing live
play-by-play commentary during the game’s exciting two periods and the skills competition.

“Each year, more and more NHL alumni, musicians and celebrities are enthusiastically lending their time in support of MusiCan,” said Melanie Berry, CARAS President. “It’s always exciting to see local fans react to seeing their hockey heroes and favourite musicians play together - an unlikely match-up that’s always an entertaining event.”

Having led the Calgary Flames to their only Stanley Cup victory in 1989, hockey legend Lanny McDonald reunites with his championship team mates Colin Patterson, Doug Gilmour and Jamie Macoun. Juno Cup veterans such as Bob Probert, Brad Dalgarno, Mark Napier, Mike Pelyk, Paul Coffey and Russ Courtnall, who led last year’s team to victory against The Rockers in Saskatoon, SK, will compete for the Juno Cup once again to defend their title and designate as The Greats.

Up to the challenge of facing some of Canada’s Hockey Hall of Fame legends are the determined Rockers. Returning as Team Captain, multiple JUNO Award winner Jim Cuddy will once again lead an eclectic and valiant line-up of celebrities and musicians.

“Each year the musicians are taught a lesson in humility by the NHL alumni - and yet each year, we still think we have a chance,” said Jim Cuddy. “Such is the great game of hockey and in the end we are bruised and beaten but still smiling. It’s a great time.”

The Rockers are gathering an enormous roster in hopes of finally defeating the NHL Greats. Musicians and celebrities alike, many of whom also played last year, are lining up for the challenge. The Rockers team currently includes:

Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo)*
Barney Bentall
David Francey*
Jay Bodner (Eagle & Hawk)
Vince Fontaine (Eagle & Hawk)
Gord Bamford*
Alex Norman (illScarlett)*
John Doherty (illScarlett)*
Kevin Parent
Luke Doucet
Richard Underhill*
Mike Belitsky (The Sadies)*
Sean Dean (The Sadies)*
Shane Yellowbird*
Andrew Scott (Sloan)
Chris Murphy (Sloan)
Cam Melnyk (State of Shock)*
Jesse Wainwright (State of Shock)*
Tom Cochrane*
Zack Werner (Canadian Idol)

*2008 JUNO Award nominees

The Juno Cup has grown more popular every year since the first game in Edmonton at the 2004 JUNO Awards. More artists and players for this year’s 5th Annual Juno Cup are sure to be added and announced in the upcoming weeks.

The 5th Annual Juno Cup Presented by The Keg Steakhouse & Bar takes place at the Stampede Corral, Stampede Park: 10 Corral Trail S.E., Calgary, AB. For venue information on the Stampede Corral, please call
(403) 261-0101. For more information on the 5^th Annual Juno Cup, visit www.junocup.ca.

Sponsors of the 2008 JUNO Awards include FACTOR, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s “Canada Music Fund”, The Government of Alberta, The City of Calgary, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Arts Development and Radio Starmaker Fund.

Broadcast sponsors for The 2008 JUNO Awards are Pontiac, Doritos, TD Canada Trust and Rogers.

About MusiCan:
MusiCan, the music education charity of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is helping keep music alive in schools across Canada. MusiCan’s mission is to ensure that children in Canada have access to a comprehensive music program through their school. MusiCan includes Band Aid musical instrument grants, the MusiCan Teacher of the Year Award, Scholarships and other music education initiatives. MusiCan is supported by various initiatives such as the platinum-selling Juno Award nominee compilation CD, annual contributions by CTVglobemedia, EMI Music Canada Inc., SONY BMG Music Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada Ltd., as well as Songwriters’ Circle sponsored by CMPA and SOCAN, Juno Cup and individual and corporate contributions, including The Keg Spirit Foundation and SIRIUS Canada Inc.

Including this year’s contributions, and since the Program’s establishment in 1997, over $2.3 million will have been donated impacting 164 post secondary music program graduates and 120,732 individual students, their schools and communities, from coast to coast. MusiCan has also honoured three extraordinary music teachers through the MusiCan Teacher of the Year Award.

For more information on MusiCan, please visit www.musican.ca

About CARAS:
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L’academie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l’enregistrement (CARAS) is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the Canadian music and recording industries and to contribute toward higher artistic and industry standards. The main focus of CARAS is the exploration and development of opportunities to showcase and promote Canadian artists and music through television vehicles such as The JUNO Awards. For more information on the 37th Annual JUNO Awards, visit the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ (CARAS) website at www.junoawards.ca.

Right of Passage has garnered much praise since its release and now has been recognized with a 2008 JUNO nomination. This will be two time JUNO winner, David Francey’s fourth nomination in just six years. David is thrilled to be considered by his peers for the 2008 awards. For a list of nominees check out the JUNO web site.

Be sure to watch David and Kathryn Briggs Saturday December 22 at 6:30 pm on Regional Contact

CTV’s Kathie Donovan and Joel Haslam host this Christmas special with four songs from the Carols for a Christmas Eve CD and interviews with David and I in our home! (if you have satellite TV you can watch it from anywhere!)

What a Year!

David Francey gained considerable recognition this year, first by winning a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Singer of the year, he then won the USA Songwriting Competition for Best Folk Song, The Golden Quill Award for songwriting at this year’s 18th Annual Porcupine Awards and was voted one of the top 100 folk artists of the past 25 years by WUMB out of Boston! Phew - Our heads are spinning - what a Christmas present!

For a list of awards David has received to date go to Awards Page.

We are pleased to announce that on December 1st 2007 that David Francey received a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Singer - Contemporary. David is honoured to be chosen by his peers for this award. For more on the evening check out Awards Night

Just announced - David Francey is up for three Canadian Folk Music Awards for his CD, Right of Passage, in the following categories. (Way to go David!)

The awards will take place on Saturday, December 1 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Québec Canada

for more information on the Canadian Folk Music Awards, check out their site at http://www.canadianfolkmusicawards.ca/cfma/

Go to CKUA to listen to a great concert broadcast this Friday, May 18th at 8pm MDT.  The program is called “Live From Alberta Stages” and was recorded at the
Arden Theatre in St. Albert in February. David and Craig Werth (with Marc Ladouceur) will hit the airwaves or listen to a re-broadcast Sunday, May 20th at 4am.

David’s favourite author, Kurt Vonnegut, passed away on Wednesday, April 11/07.

David was on the road when he heard and was greatly saddened by the news. David’s battered copy of Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five on tape was committed to memory long ago.

“He was such a humanist… we have been elevated by his humanity and are diminished by his passing. In keeping with Vonnegut’s own philosophy - every moment in time is always there and always will be - Vonnegut will, in part, remain with us ” D. F.

“And so it goes” Kurt Vonnegut, from Slaughterhouse-Five

Right of passage is David Francey’s much anticipated, all new, all original material CD. The first since Waking Hour in 2004. An exquisite new CD!

Join us for the CD release party at Hugh’s Room in Toronto, March 2 and 3

Right of Passage is an intimate recording of thirteen original David Francey songs, backed by a stellar cast of musicians. Craig Werth, Geoff Somers, Shane Simpson and Julia Davie joined David at Signal Path Studio in the beautiful town of Almonte, Ontario. The time spent in the studio was joyful. The sessions were filled with excitement as the new songs were captured one by one.
Right of Passage reflects the passion and emotion with which David views his world - a world where he and his pal “laughed [their] words in steady streams”, where he dreamt of his wife while sitting “under a sky of hodden grey” and where a smile “filled the emptiness”.
We are very proud that Right of Passage is truly home-made. The songs and music are by David. Many of the practices took place in our home. The recording was done less than an hour from our home. Our daughter Julia is singing harmony on two songs. Our daughter Amy did a beautiful job on the artwork for the CD. Our son Colin was extremely patient through the whole process. Many of the photos are by David or myself (Beth)…and the CD is on our label, Laker Music, run out of our home! How’s that for an indie label! Made in Canada!

You can order your copy directly from us online at Laker Music. Liner notes and more available for Right of Passage