Bob Oldfield

Vernon Folk Roots Society

David Francey, arrived in Canada from Scotland at the age of 12 in 1967.

At that point, he had already been writing poetry for two years, a pastime that continued through his youth and through his 20 years as a rail yard worker and carpenter.

鈥淚 knew from an early age I just had to write. It was my way of making sense of the world and of my place in it,鈥� he said, talking ahead of his impending visit to Lake Country on Feb. 1.

Strangely, performing music as a career didn鈥檛 begin for Francey until he was 45 years old.

鈥淭here was no plan involved,鈥� he chuckled. 鈥淎fter being exposed to the music of the likes of John Prine, Joni Mitchell, Willie P Bennett and others I decided I needed to add music to some of my favourite poems I had written and turn them into songs.

鈥淗owever, I never intended to do anything with what I was creating. I didn鈥檛 play gigs much anywhere, but, at some point, I was heard by a Quebec Community CBC station and that led to me being encouraged to record my first album Torn Screen Door (1999).

鈥淪ince then, I鈥檝e never looked back, I鈥檝e been so lucky.鈥�

And what a career it has been.

Three Juno awards and seven Canadian Folk Music awards later and despite the effect of nearly 25 years of working his voice pretty hard, Francey is still happy to hit the road and share his songs and stories.

Now widely recognized as one of Canada鈥檚 greatest songwriters, he has recorded 13 albums, the most recent being last year鈥檚 release of The Breath Between, which, among others, features a collaboration with Terra Spencer, who will not only play piano in Francey鈥檚 band but will also open the show for him. 鈥淚 think Terra is one of the best writers I鈥檝e ever heard anywhere,鈥� he enthused. 鈥淎nd I want to help promote her project.鈥�

Making up the rest of the band for this show are fiddler Jess Wedden and guitarist and vocalist Chris Murphy.

The show is at the Creekside Theatre in Lake Country, starting at 7:30 p.m.

It is part of the regular season from the Vernon Folk Roots Music Society who decided to bring this one show to Lake Country to avoid a clash with Vernon鈥檚 Winter Carnival activitoes.

Tickets are available at Ticketseller.ca or 250-549-SHOW(7469).