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David started his musical journey at an early age, singing along to the radio & recordings of artists such as The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Ralph McTell, Don McLean, Gilbert O'Sullivan, The King Singers & Elvis Presley. At the age of about 9 he saved up and bought his first acoustic guitar, the cheapest one he could get from the Argos catalogue, at a cost of about £20. From that moment on he was hooked, and spent every spare moment singing along with his guitar & writing songs, much to the annoyance of his 2 older brothers. Some time later at school he & some friends decided to start a band, the one thing they lacked was a bass player, so in a fit of madness he sold his guitar to one of his brothers and bought a second-hand electric bass. It was cheap, red & had a neck that was so bent it could look around corners. He didn't have a bass amp at home so he plugged it into his parents stereo amplifier, which had fabulously large speakers, & tried not to blow it up. Unfortunately the band didn't last, after the initial burst of enthusiasm the rest of the band lost interest and it faded out after only a few months. A short while later David sold the bass at a profit, despite the wayward neck, and finding he had a talent for acting and a yearning to perform, put all his efforts into studying drama. For a while David took up the Cornet but couldn't afford to keep it so that was consigned to history, as was his brief spell as a drummer.
It wasn't until he went to college to study for a Btec in Performing Arts (Acting) that he found out he wasn't the only one who thought he could sing. So being a penniless student he persuaded his brother to let him have his old guitar back, neglecting to remind his brother that he'd sold it to him in the first place, all those years ago. His passion for playing, singing and writing music were soon re-kindled and when he wasn't in lectures, spent his spare time performing in the college refectory for his fellow students and staff. Word soon spread and it went from a few fellow students to most of the performing arts department. He played bass again for a while at college with the music students but couldn't afford to buy his own, so he stuck with the guitar. When he wasn't at college he was busking, not just for the money (fortunately) but just for the buzz of performing.
His first paying gig was in his local public house where he was a barman, (payment was in beer), it wasn't a great gig but it was a learning experience. One thing he learnt was that he needed a new guitar and an amp. He bought a white, semi-acoustic Hohner SE35 & not long after a Tanglewood Autumn Leaf, round backed, acoustic guitar.
Over the following years he played regularly in pubs, at private functions and as a guest with other local bands. He was asked to join several bands but declined after finding out they didn't share his commitment to music. So he stuck with solo music and the occasional guest appearance. During this time he learned several very valuable lessons, one of which was:- "Never play a gig in-front of a dart board."
He was once asked to sing on a Dance record by a German record label, he declined because he couldn't stand the manufactured pulp they were churning out & being an idealistic 20-something, didn't believe it had any musical integrity. "I didn't think of the money."
In 1995 he went back to college to study music, where he met his wife Clare, who was on the same course. Being the daughter of a well respected Bluegrass musician and a Banjo player herself, she introduced David to the world of Bluegrass music. This opened up a whole new catalogue of songs and new styles of playing, he started learning songs by artists such as, Tim O'brien, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Steve Earle, Darrell Scott, Iris DeMent & Nanci Griffith.
So finally after years of playing solo & being disappointed with bands that put the music second to everything else, he is playing in a band that shares his dedication to music & the enjoyment of playing it.
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