Biography
Dave Insley has enjoyed a heap of praise (and played a lot of gigs) since the release of his critically acclaimed solo debut "Call Me Lonesome" (2005), the follow-up "Here With You Tonight" (2006), and his latest "West Texas Wine" (2008). Backed by a group he calls “the Careless Smokers,” the Country singer from Arizona now lives in Austin, Texas, but spends most of his year on the road, entertaining folks in America’s hippest nightclubs & dancehalls, and winning new fans with his unique blend of Honky Tonk, Tex-Mex & Arizona hillbilly music.
Dave sings in a powerful, honest voice and his stories of small-town life & working class values resonate easily with audiences. The Washington Post calls West Texas Wine "Wry, road-tested DIY country from the country wing of the country genre" and reports that "Insley is so for-real he doesn't even need a Nashville address. Or a publicist." The Wall Street Journal’s Nat Hentoff says Insley “immediately held my attention not by showboating, but through naturally flowing rhythms and stories of everyday life and loss, told in a warm, unhurried and sometimes wry voice of experience.” The Austin Chronicle’s Jim Caligiuri says Insley “combines the best of the Bakersfield sound & two steppin’ beats, with his own desert-bent sense of humor, leading him to a singular place somewhere between Dwight Yoakam and Dave Alvin,” and Soundstage's David Cantor calls Insley’s music “Zen Country,” and credits Insley for “leaving melodramatic self-indulgence out of the picture” for a sound that’s “just plain well done.”
Backed by the hotter-than-embers Smokers, Insley has notched numerous coast-to-coast tours under his belt, and earned his stripes as a live performer. Working America's roadhouse circuit has made Dave's unique songwriting & craggy baritone well-known cultural exports of the Southwest. "One of the Southwest's most original and authentic Country voices."
Instrumentation
Dave Insley - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Dale X Allen - lead guitar & vocals
Daniel Jones - drums
Vance Hazen - bass & vocals
Bobby Snell - pedal steel guitar
Discography
Dave Insley "West Texas Wine" D.I.R., 2008
#2 FAR Chart
#13 Euroamericana Chart
Dave Insley "Here With You Tonight" Redeye, 2006
with special guests Rosie Flores, Amanda Cunningham, Pat Johnson, Dave Gleason, Rick Shea
Debuted # 1 on Freeform American Roots (FAR) chart, remained # 1 for eight weeks
Debuted #11 on Euroamericana chart
Top Ten Local Releases of 2006, Austin American Statesman
2006 Albums of the Year, Third Coast Music
# 3 Male Artist of the Year 2006, Third Coast Music
Dave Insley “Call Me Lonesome” Redeye, 2005
with special guests Rosie Flores, Rick Shea, Diana Lee, the Peacemakers
Debuted # 5 on the FAR chart and reached # 19 on the Americana chart
# 17 on the Valley Tribune Newspaper's Top 25 Albums of All-Time by Arizona artists
Top Ten Debuts of 2005, Third Coast Music
Arizona's Best Songwriter 2005, Arizona Republic newspaper
Josh Davis "Casino" 2005
Dave duets with Texas artist Josh Davis on the Faron Young classic "The Great Chicago Fire" on Davis' 2005 debut
Trophy Husbands “Walk With Evil” Hayden's Ferry Records 2003
Produced by Insley, "Walk With Evil" features Dave on guitar, vocals and songwriting
Live from Studio 2A KXCI Tucson Public Radio Compilation, 2002
Insley's band, Trophy Husbands are featured for one song on this compilation
Trophy Husbands “Dark & Bloody Ground” Rustic Records, 2001
Insley's first album with the Trophy Husbands features Dave on guitar, vocals and songwriting
Nitpickers “Nitpickers” Rustic Records, 2000
Before Trophy Husbands, Dave led a bluegrass band. This self-titled debut was their only release
selected Best Roots Band, 2000 by the Arizona Republic
Tammy Patrick “White Album” Rustic Records, 2000
Dave co-produced this album and is featured on guitar & harmony vocals
Country Pure Compilation, World International Records, 1999
One of Dave's self-produced tracks appears on this compilation
Dave Insley “Halo 4 Satan” 1998
Limited edition CD, self-released & out-of-print
Dave Insley “Big Wheels Must Roll” 1997
Limited edition CD, self-released & out-of-print
Politics or Pontiacs “Ghawazee Steps” 1988
Another early Insley band. out-of-print
Chaingang “Reunion” 1987
Dave's first release, cassette only
Self-released & out-of-print
Links
| http://www.daveinsley.com |