Influenced by the rich Texas songwriting tradition that produced the likes of Lyle Lovett, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark, singer-songwriters Denice Franke and Eric Taylor represent two of the finest voices in an honored musical lineage. If you thought you knew Denice Franke’s music, think again. Franke, who drew tremendous acclaim with her previous release, You Don’t Know Me, is back with her second solo CD, Comfort, and the differences between the two can be heard not only in the richness and control of her voice, but also in the depth of her lyrics and her delivery of each song.
"The real key is how you tell the story or convey the moment," says Franke. "Fundamentally, inspiration is the well we dip from, but you can only do this for so long and then you have to dig a little deeper."
Though primarily a collection of her own songs, Franke covers two songs, "Little Bit Of Poison" (Dave Olney) and "100 Miles From Mexico" (Vince Bell). "When I first started, I had to play quite a few covers at the same time I was developing my songwriting," says Franke, who soon caught the attention of well-known Texas songwriters like Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett, who marveled not only at her songs but also her interpretation of others’ works.
Comfort was produced by renowned Texas singer/songwriter Eric Taylor. For the production, Taylor assembled a dreamteam of notable sidemen, including John Hagen (longtime cellist for Lovett), Eric Demmer (sax for Clarence Gatemouth Brown), James Gilmer (drummer for Lovett), Tommy Elskes, Mike Sumler, Craig Holden and Gene Elders (violinist for Lovett, Strait).
A musician’s musician, Franke first made waves through a musical affiliation with the Beacon City Band in the late ‘70s. She and fellow band member Doug Hudson later formed the popular duo Hudson and Franke. She has shared the stage with such artists as Lovett, Taylor, Griffith, Tom Rush, John Gorka, Tom Russell, Chris Smither, Patty Larkin and others. Her appearances with Nanci Griffith include Austin City Limits, Late Night With David Letterman, and the TNN production One Fair Summer Evening. Additionally, she appeared with former partner Doug Hudson on Texas Connection (also a TNN production). In 1989, the duo toured extensively throughout the United States, The United Kingdom and Ireland.
Originally from Dallas, Franke now calls Houston home. Since the release of her debut CD You Don’t Know Me in 1998, she has spent most of her time on the road sharing her music with audiences across the United States and Europe.
10/25/99: Denice Franke and Eric Taylor
