Stewart Francke will receive 20th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Arts Award from his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan on May 7

The Detroit based blue-eyed soul singer and cancer activist will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Saginaw Arts Commission in a ceremony at the Dow Event Center in his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan. End Quote

Detroit, MI (1888PressRelease) April 07, 2009 - Thomas Wolfe was wrong, at least in this case. You can go home again, especially under these circumstances.

Long considered one of Michigan's favorite sons, Stewart Francke will receive a 20th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Arts Award from his hometown of Saginaw on May 7, 2009.

Francke will be honored by the Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission for his "passion for music and the joy his songs bring to so many in his home state and beyond." The All Area Arts Award ceremony will be held at the Dow Event Center on May 7, 2009 at 6:30. Stewart will perform a brief acoustic set. The event is open to the public; call 989 759-1496 for ticket information.

Quoted in an article in The Saginaw News, Francke said, "I'm flattered and humbled that they'd think of me for this kind of recognition, and I'm also excited to go back and play some music in Saginaw. It's quite and honor and one of the high points in my work life."

A leukemia and bone marrow transplant survivor, Francke's most recent release is this year's Alive and Unplugged At The Ark, an acoustic live show recorded at the famed Ann Arbor music showroom. Long a songwriter's songwriter, with fans as renowned as Bruce Springsteen, Francke has written several songs with Saginaw and its characters as both theme and backdrop. His first cd, 1995's Where The River Meets The Bay, is a poetic description of his hometown and its surroundings.

In related news from www.stewartfrancke.com:

Stewart Francke nominated as Best Songwriter in 2009 Detroit Music Awards. The DMA will be at the FIllmore Detroit on April 17.

Stewart signs a publishing administration deal with England's Open Times Music. Headed by Pete McGlinchey, former head of Sony/ATV and a part of Dick James Music, OTM will handle all admin duties on Stewart Francke's song catalogue of more than 100 songs. OTM is based in East Sussex, UK.

Stewart Francke and his band will perform at the famed Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, as part of the 2nd Bruce Springsteen Symposium, September 24-27. Stewart will join east coast greats and Springsteen favorites Joe Grushecky, Jesse Malin and Gaslight Anthem. Other dates in NYC and Philly will follow for a brief East Coast fall tour.

Several of Stewart's instrumental tracks have been licensed by MTV for a new reality series. More details to come as production ensues.

Stewart Francke was named Grand Marshall of the Assembly Line Concert, a marathon 240 hour live music show intended to raise money and awareness about the plight of the Big Three Auto Companies and their workers. His song, "That's The Way We Do It In Detroit," was chosen as the event's theme song, and he performed it at the concert's opening with the Downtown Y Deep River Choir. The Assembly Line Concert is the creation of activist and entrepreneur AJ O'Neil, and was held at AJ's Cafe in Ferndale, MI from March 20-April 1.

Stewart recorded his own version of The Beatles' "And Your Bird Can Sing" for a Garage Band compilation on Collectibles Records called Garage Band Beatles. The cd will be released in Summer '09. Several new tracks were also recently recorded with Detroit session greats Darryl Pierce and Chuck Bartels (of Bettye LaVette's band), to be compiled for a new cd scheduled for a fall 2009 release.

Stewart and his band will perform live at The Ark in Ann Arbor on June 18. Tickets at Ticketmaster or call (734) 761-1800.

Visit http://stewartfrancke.com for more information.

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