Don Francisco (Christian musician)
Encyclopedia
Don Francisco is an independent American
singer, songwriter
, and musician, specialising in the field of contemporary Christian music
. He has won two Dove awards
, 1980 song of the year (for "HE'S ALIVE"), and 1980 Songwriter of the year.
, the son of a Christian seminary
professor
Clyde T. Francisco
. Francisco's early career centred on the secular folk-rock music common during the mid 1960s, but after an experience Francisco believed was supernatural
, he rededicated his life to God and changed his personal, musical direction. Francisco is married and lives in Colorado with his wife, Wendy, also a recording artist as well as a graphic artist.
In 1977 Don Francisco recorded "I Don't Care Where You've Been Sleeping" for the album Forgiven. According to the members website: "We get more letters about the healing impact of this song than any other except 'He's Alive.'" It is one of the most uncompromising songs he has ever written and it is considered by many to be one of his best songs.
According to Daniel Melius (Rocky Mountain Ministries Staff), Benson re-released the original album Forgiven along with Got To Tell Somebody, and put them both on one CD in 1988. They left that song off in order to fit both albums on one 70-minute CD. However, they did release the Forgiven album in the early 90's with that song on it, along with all others, on their "Right Price" line of CDs. This may be the source of the rumor that "the recording company he was with at that time was worried by the content of the song (that it might offend people because it was "too radical") so they deleted it."
Eventually Don Francisco opted to operate independently, which, while affording him more control, seems to have had no ill effect on his musical output or quality. On the contrary, albums released after have gradually gained the use of further session work and demonstrate an even greater range of styles.
in 2003 Francisco released The Promises, which consists almost entirely of selected and paraphrased readings from the Bible. The disk is a collaboration between Don and Wendy Francisco and is available under the Airlift Recordings label.
Some of Don Francisco's songs deal with what his site calls Churchianity where the habit of church life replaces actual Christianity. Such songs include: "Stand Up" ("Only Love is Spoken Here", 2004), "Steeple Song", "Everybody Else But Me" & "Beautiful to Me" ("Beautiful to Me", 1998), "The Rule of the Spirit" & "Call Nobody Teacher Here, my child" ("Grace on Grace", 1999) and "Pushin On" ("That I May Know You", 2005).
In addition to this rather liberal approach to the base material, his site actively encourages its visitors to create CDs for friends that might appreciate (the site actually says "...might be blessed...") a custom Don Francisco and Friends CD, with the limits against sale and so forth and the simple requirement that the website URL be written on each CD.
Towards the end of 2006 the members area was opened to the public with the same access that had previously been reserved for members now available to anyone. While fans are now asked to donate should they wish, it is now entirely optional and separate from access to the base material.
Rerecorded favourites:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and musician, specialising in the field of contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
. He has won two Dove awards
Dove Award for Song of the Year
The following is a list of recipients of the GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year:* 2011 "Sometimes I Cry" * 2010 "By Your Side" * 2009 "Give Me Your Eyes" * 2008 "East to West"...
, 1980 song of the year (for "HE'S ALIVE"), and 1980 Songwriter of the year.
Background
He was born in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, the son of a Christian seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Clyde T. Francisco
Clyde T. Francisco
Clyde T. Francisco was born in Virgilina, Virginia and was the John R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He taught Old Testament for over 30 years and his book titled Introducing the Old Testament remained in print...
. Francisco's early career centred on the secular folk-rock music common during the mid 1960s, but after an experience Francisco believed was supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
, he rededicated his life to God and changed his personal, musical direction. Francisco is married and lives in Colorado with his wife, Wendy, also a recording artist as well as a graphic artist.
In 1977 Don Francisco recorded "I Don't Care Where You've Been Sleeping" for the album Forgiven. According to the members website: "We get more letters about the healing impact of this song than any other except 'He's Alive.'" It is one of the most uncompromising songs he has ever written and it is considered by many to be one of his best songs.
According to Daniel Melius (Rocky Mountain Ministries Staff), Benson re-released the original album Forgiven along with Got To Tell Somebody, and put them both on one CD in 1988. They left that song off in order to fit both albums on one 70-minute CD. However, they did release the Forgiven album in the early 90's with that song on it, along with all others, on their "Right Price" line of CDs. This may be the source of the rumor that "the recording company he was with at that time was worried by the content of the song (that it might offend people because it was "too radical") so they deleted it."
Eventually Don Francisco opted to operate independently, which, while affording him more control, seems to have had no ill effect on his musical output or quality. On the contrary, albums released after have gradually gained the use of further session work and demonstrate an even greater range of styles.
in 2003 Francisco released The Promises, which consists almost entirely of selected and paraphrased readings from the Bible. The disk is a collaboration between Don and Wendy Francisco and is available under the Airlift Recordings label.
Musical style
Even among Christian musicians, Francisco's style is fairly distinctive. He tends to focus on acoustic instruments barren of modern production techniques and concentrate on the narratives of the songs, using ballad styles or speaking through the music that interprets Scriptural events or Biblical lessons, specifically with respect to the teachings of Jesus Christ and his messages of "unconditional love" ("I Don't Care Where You've Been Sleeping"), salvation ("Give Your Heart a Home"), and even a lesson against religious self-righteousness and pharisaic condemnation ("Beautiful To Me"). As is the case with many singer-songwriters advocating a specific religious belief or philosophical viewpoint through music, Francisco uses his adaptations and interpretations as the means to convey what he feels are the most important teachings of the JudeoChristian scriptures.Some of Don Francisco's songs deal with what his site calls Churchianity where the habit of church life replaces actual Christianity. Such songs include: "Stand Up" ("Only Love is Spoken Here", 2004), "Steeple Song", "Everybody Else But Me" & "Beautiful to Me" ("Beautiful to Me", 1998), "The Rule of the Spirit" & "Call Nobody Teacher Here, my child" ("Grace on Grace", 1999) and "Pushin On" ("That I May Know You", 2005).
Views on copyright
Don Francisco retains full copyright on all his work but provides chord charts and lyrics for most of his songs. In addition to this, many of his albums have been recorded sans-lyrics so that an enthusiastic fan might sing them for themselves.In addition to this rather liberal approach to the base material, his site actively encourages its visitors to create CDs for friends that might appreciate (the site actually says "...might be blessed...") a custom Don Francisco and Friends CD, with the limits against sale and so forth and the simple requirement that the website URL be written on each CD.
Towards the end of 2006 the members area was opened to the public with the same access that had previously been reserved for members now available to anyone. While fans are now asked to donate should they wish, it is now entirely optional and separate from access to the base material.
Discography
- Out of print CDs are still available on CDr direct from the artist.
- Brother of the Son (1976, out of print)
- Forgiven (1977, out of print)
- Got to Tell Somebody (1979, out of print)
- The Traveler (1981, out of print)
- The Live Concert (1982, out of print)
- Holiness (1984, out of print)
- One Heart at a Time (1985, out of print)
- The Power (1987, out of print)
- High Praise (1988, out of print)
- Live in the UK (1989, out of print?)
- Vision of the Valley (1991, out of print?)
- Come Away (1992, out of print)
- Genesis and Job (1994, out of print?)
- Grace on Grace (1999)
- Only Love is Spoken Here (2001)
- The Promises (2003, Spoken Word)
- That I May Know You (2005)
- The Sower (2007)
- Let It Ride (2009)
Collections
- The Poet (1985, out of print?)
- Early Works (1991, out of print?)
- Word Pictures (1996)
- Balladeer Tales (1999)
Rerecorded favourites:
- He's Alive, Collection Vol. I (1996)
- Beautiful To Me, Collection Vol. II (1998)
- The Package, Collection Vol. III (2004)