Dave Wright

Dave Wright typifies what rootmusic.co.uk is all about perhaps more then any other artists we have covered. An accomplished musician and songwriter Dave has been playing music for well over 20 years. He plays a bright and optimistic blend of Country, Folk, Pop and Blues, his eclectic nature has even lead him to take on world music, check out the ''Colours of Africa'' on his ''Lost in the Wilderness" album.

What makes him such a classic rootsmusic artists ? Well he's performed over 250 gigs in the last few years, released two fine albums while at the same time juggling a busy family life and a full time job at Bristol Council. Based in Bristol in the west of England Dave's music has caught on all over the world, especially in the USA and Australia. You can hear three of Dave's recording right now just click below.

1) Kathy's Eyes

2) Lost in The Wilderness

3) Colours of Africa

Dave took a break to tell about his music, life and future projects.

1) What is your musical history how does it fit in with your work and family life ?

I've always been into music as child I sung in church/school choirs and started to play the guitar when I was about 10. I started performing and writing music when I went to college at Plymouth where I also helped to run the Folk Club. When I moved to Bristol in the late 80s, I meet Alun Thomas and Alan Carder and started playing in local bars and pubs in and around Bristol. We formed a band called the Thomas Wright Affair and over the years have played most of the local venues and festivals including the Ashton Court and Glastonbury Festivals.

I have work my music into the other aspects of my life my work and looking after the family. It all gets quite a juggling act at times!

2) What are your musical influences ?

Well I have quite diverse taste really, but tend to always come back to songwriters I really admire these include;

John Martyn, Richard Thompson, Paul Brady, Ralph McTell, John Hiatt, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Carol King, Roddy Frame (Aztec Camera), Bruce Springsteen to name but a few

3) You've recorded two fine albums to date. How would you describe them and how do they differ ?

Kathy's Eyes was a collection of demos really recorded at different times with different combinations of musicians. I selected the best of the takes of the different recordings and put them together in a CD.

Lost in the Wilderness was far more 'produced' in the sense that I worked with a friend Pete Fullard who helped me record and produce the different tracks on his well equipped home based studio. He used the music for a project he was working on for his learning company to teach people how to use computers by performing certain tasks as my cyber manager! The reward for me was free studio and production time and an album at the end of it for my label.

4) Are there any tracks that are particularly special to you and why ?

I've always liked Kathy's Eyes on the first album and still play it every time I perform today and it still feels really fresh somehow.

People also seem to rate Eastern Promise, Colours of Africa and Lost In the Wilderness. I also like Down the track as I worked hard on the little string arrangement in the middle and it's harder to play it on the keyboard with my limited piano skills!

5) What are your views on the current music scene and rootsmusic scene ?

Well I think music generally is going through a major change in that the production of music and it's distribution is getting far easier for artist to control as technology makes it easier for people to record music and the net to distribute it. So I think the way the music industry has been managed for many years is going to have to change. I think the conventional record companies are slow in getting to terms with this. However the down side to it all appears to be as more and more music becomes available it becomes harder for individuals or bands to make themselves known, and it will be hard for music consumers to see the wood for the trees. This is where websites and organisations like rootsmusic are so important signposting consumers to music that they think their peers will like. So there is alot of potential for new music to be made available these days but it may get harder to make a living out of it somehow.

6) Are you using the internet and digital downloads etc has it helped promote your music ?

Yes through a number of sites like rootsmusic, peoplesound, vitaminic and the orchard. I still think though you can't beat playing in front of an audience to really show people what you can do, so I am trying to play outside of my local area to spread the word.

7) Do you own a MP3 player and if so what's on it ?

Yes mainly copies of albums I have bought on CDs, though I also use it as a notebook to record songs and ideas I'm working on and playing new material to my various musical colleagues.