Stewart Francke Tribute – June 10, 2023

Join us for a tribute to Stewart Francke and his music. Stewart is one of Detroit’s most beloved and accomplished musicians and longtime ambassador of Detroit music. A group of his peers are paying tribute to him and will each perform one of his songs. Many in the Detroit music community were unaware that Stewart had a hemorrhagic stroke in April of 2019. His recovery has been slow and difficult.  This is a one night only event.

Participants include Jeff Scott, Jill Jack, Graham Strachan, Sidi Henderson, ML Liebler, Greg C. Brown, Pete Peltier and others.  The House Band will feature some of Stewart’s band members.

“Stewart Francke is one of a kind. A talent that encompasses both songwriting and prose writing appears rarely. How much rarer then is a songwriter whose sensibility includes Johnny Cash and Gore Vidal, Yoko On and the Funk Brothers, marriage and mortality, race relations and cancer treatment? Standing courageously at the intersection of rock and soul music, influenced equally by Marvin Gaye and Brian Wilson, Francke possesses all the tools: A great voice, a vision that’s grand without being grandiose and an undying loveof 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. Motor City Serenade is the most important blue-eyed soul record in a musical generation.” –Dave Marsh

“Yeah, I’ve heard Stewart…he makes beautiful music.” – Bruce Springsteen

“Stewart Francke is the best songwriter I’ve heard in 20 years.” — Mick Taylor, legendary guitarist & former member of the Rolling Stones

Stewart’s words about Trinity House for a theatre fundraising appeal.

“Many of you guys know I’ve been involved in myriad charities and fundraisers over the years, with the majority being in cancer and its patient care. I’ve also worked hard and been fortunate enough to perform music for the last 30 years in clubs and other performance venues where I could feature only my own songs and select covers–a rarity these days for musicians not at the greatest heights of this business. Great thanks again to my audience for your ongoing support, and to Detroit audiences at large.

Of all the venues–clubs, listening rooms, outdoor sheds & festivals, large & small theaters, even the select few shows at arenas–some of the very best nights and concerts I’ve been a part of have been at the tiny Trinity House Theater in Livonia.

There are only about 70 seats or so, but a comparatively spacious stage and as you perform you’re literally in the lap of the audience, but this so often allows a kind of magic to be made, due to whatever confluence of stimuli that occurs. Bill Keith and the people that run The Trinity House are kind and helpful, so the entire vibe of the place is folkie-soulful.

We’re an anomaly at the Trinity, often coming in with horns and electric guitars and blowin’ the roof off.  Featured artists are more often folk artists or singer-songwriters playing acoustic instruments in the classic form. I’ve also done sparse, acoustic shows there, and the magic still appears, creating that vibrant bond between artist and audience. That bond is alive.”  – Stewart Francke