Stewart Francke's music sounds as if Jackson and James Brown were brothers. Detroit blue-eyed soul.
STEWART FRANCKE ALIVE AND UNPLUGGED AT THE ARK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Live acoustic album to be released through Burnside Distribution on January 20, 2009.
Detroit— Stewart Francke, one of Michigan’s favorite sons, will release Stewart Francke Alive and Unplugged at The Ark, his tenth album, in November. Recorded in August 2003, the song lineup will feature nine of Francke’s hits done in a soulful, acoustic style, including “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “Upon Seeing Simone.”
The new album follows 2006's Motor City Serenade, released by London’s Zane Records. A live concert sponsored by 94.7 WCSX on November 8 at the Village Players Theater in Birmingham will celebrate the release of the record. The concert will begin at 8pm; tickets are available at the VP box office or at www.stewartfrancke.com
Stewart Francke Live and Unplugged at The Ark features several of Detroit’s finest musicians, including guitarist Robert Tye, pianist Christopher Plansker, and vocalists Barbara Payton and Jeanne Staels. The Regular Boys Horn Section is also featured on a couple songs. The night was recorded by Detroit veteran engineer Roscoe White and mixed by Jim Kissling at Tempermill.
Francke is nearly finished with a new studio album as well, to be released in the Spring of 2009. “I’d actually forgotten about the live recording...I found the rough mixes (of this live stuff) while I was writing and recording all these new things,” Francke says. “And the audience that night in Ann Arbor was off the hook, so there’s a lot of humor, a lot of joy–and a ton of energy–even though the presentation was not with the big, rockin’ band. I was struck by how well the band at that time addressed the subtleties of the songs and gave the lyrics room. So I really thought fans of my music would love these interpretations of songs they already know and hopefully love.”
Track Listing:
American Twilights
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
For Want Of A Nail
The Judas Kiss
Peace Like A River
House Of Lights
Upon Seeing Simone
Let’s Get It On
Building his devoted audience one person at a time over the years, Stewart is now known as one of the most exciting and beloved live performers around, playing his own headlining shows as well as support touring with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, Chris Isaak, Robert Cray, Shawn Colvin, Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, Stevie Winwood, Eddie Money, Foreigner, Chicago, & many others.
Now performing with his own Detroit Soul band, Francke’s show is exciting, smart, humorous, and loaded with a warm, soulful vibe that makes every night pure magic. As a songwriter, he’s licensed songs to TV (Melrose Place, MTV’s Real World, various daytime shows), for image advertising (GM, Ford, National Cancer Association) and documentaries.
His music has won numerous awards: nine Detroit music awards, Hour Detroit most popular musician 2002-2004, four straight ASCAP writer's awards–-and a prestigious Point of Light Award for his work in cancer care. The Stewart Francke Leukemia Foundation was also presented the Partnership In Humanity Award by the Detroit Newspapers, and he was awarded a Creative Artist Grant by Artserve Michigan in 2003.
A leukemia and bone marrow transplant survivor of 10 years, Francke often plays benefit concerts and donates his time to cancer support efforts. To date the SFLF has raised $200,000, which has been donated to organizations such as Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Children's Leukemia Foundation, The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Gilda's Club. The priority mission of the foundation is to fund low income patients and increase marrow donation in minority communities. Francke and Broadway star Brian d’arcy James recently raised $92,000 for the Fields Neurological Institute in their hometown of Saginaw, MI.
Prior to his success as a musician, Stewart was a Contributing Editor to Detroit’s Metro Times, writing on music and film, giving him the opportunity to interview many of his favorite musicians, from Johnny Cash to George Clinton. A book of his collected song lyrics and writing, titled Between The Ground & God, was published in 2005 by Ridgeway Press and won two Indie Excellence Awards in 2007. Stewart and his family live in Huntington Woods, Michigan.
“Yea, I’ve heard Stewart...he makes beautiful music.” – Bruce Springsteen, 2006
"Thank God for Stewart Francke. Thank God for his feeling, healing music, for the sweetness of his soul, the sincerity of his songs, the strength of his vision. WHEEL OF LIFE is enriching, nourishing music -- music as faith, music as celebration, music whose source is clear and joyful love." --- David Ritz, author of Ray, the Ray Charles Story and Divided Soul: The Marvin Gaye Story
"Stewart Francke is the best songwriter I’ve heard in 20 years." --- Mick Taylor, legendary guitarist & former member of The Rolling Stones.
“MOTOR CITY SERENADE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BLUE EYED SOUL RECORD IN A MUSICAL GENERATION.... standing courageously at the intersection of rock and soul music, influenced equally by Marvin Gaye and Brian Wilson, Stewart Francke possesses all the tools: A sweet voice, a vision that’s grand without being grandiose and an undying love of sound for its own sake, along with an equally passionate engagement with everyday life and the people who live it. This music isn’t classic anything only because, like every real artist, Francke takes the world as he knows it and moves on his own course. " -- Dave Marsh
"Returning to the warm healing waters of "Lets get It On" era Marvin Gaye, genre hopper Francke restores faith in the much besmirched world of blue-eyed soul... genuinely life affirming. Looking for a real soul revival? Don*t look any further."— Gavin Martin, Uncut, June, 2002
