Music
Press
“ …Shows weave songs with powerful lyrics, which are complemented in the beauty of Russell’s guitar work. A classically trained guitarist, he offers a smorgasbord of styles including flatpicking, steel slide, jazz, Travis picking, Delta blues, folk, Celtic and country ……What you won’t hear is a cut and paste lounge act…what you will hear is cutting edge writing.. and being a part of that audience is worth the drive…”
- Florida Times Union - Jacksonville, FL
"David's got some serious chops on that guitar! I can see why folks use the "killer" analogy. Though I know he's a kind soul, he did murder us all with those licks last night. On the other hand, and this was something that I wasn't quite prepared for, David sent us to a higher plane with the tenderness of his music and voice... no one will soon forget his playing and singing and that he kept us "on the sunny side". What a beautiful moment and evening it was!"
- White Springs Folk Club-Telford Hotel White Springs, FL
The single set was impressive and demonstrated a mastery of several approaches to folk music, roots music, bluegrass, or whatever label you choose..... rolling through some traditional bluegrass, contemporary bluegrass (yes, there is such a thing) and reaching to traditional country and western ..... Russell demonstrated that he could pick Nine Pound Hammer in the manner in which it should be, which is that hard edged Merle Travis finger picking style. Later in the evening he would show the delicate yet complex side of flatpicking with Sweet Sunny South. The excitement of the evening came when they dove into Django Reinhardt’s I’ll See You In My Dreams...I would highly recommend you give this guy a listen if you enjoy hearing great solid guitar licks built around good solid rhythm and traditional structures, and seriously great singing.. - iJax.com Good Life Editor (Jacksonville, FL)
David provided EXCELLENT performances at the festival! I heard nothing but rave reviews and praise from fellow musicians and general public audience members alike... We're inviting him back! - Gamble Rogers Music Festival
“……With a musical career that has taken him to every major listening room in the South and Northeast, David plays with energy and presence born out of loving what he does…and it shows..”
- Chicago Sun Times
“ A guitarist’s guitarist who plays mandolin and dobro as well. With a wide-ranging clear voice, he performs his songs and those of his fellow writers with an energy and sensitivity that captivates… a broad brush of styles from bluegrass and traditional music, Delta blues and Travis-picked country to contemporary acoustic… the man’s a natural”
- Huntsville Times (AL)
“When Russell performs, his manner counterpoints the sometimes serious nature of his songs… he moves smoothly from blues to ballads, flatpicking to jazz… throwing out one-liners and then ducking an imaginary beer bottle… a tasteful troubadour who delivers a full course show”
- The Florida Alligator - University of Florida
“Outstanding! Refreshing! Simply not to be believed! David was super; congenial, cooperative and downright talented. I can’t begin to thank you for allowing us to showcase David Russell”
- ABC TV - Leisure Attractions-NYC
“ We had a huge number of listener response calls to the station during the club simulcast of his show in Buckhead… would you please send us some of David’s recordings for our shows?”
- WREK FM Atlanta
Discography
New release in production Spring 2012
Photos
Bio
David Russell is a songwriter/performance artist in Americana, Bluegrass ,Traditional & Mountain/Celtic music. A guitarist /multi-instrumentalist/vocalist (mandolin, banjo, dobro/bottleneck with a range of styles: fingerpicking, flatpicking, slide, cross-tunings and a 3 octave vocal range), he is a master writer and performer who takes audiences on a captivating tour of Americana. Performances are a canvas of his originals, those of his many songwriter colleagues, mixed with timeless classics and traditionals.
He has appeared or toured with: Doc & Merle Watson, Norman & Nancy Blake, Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass (w/ Marty Stuart), Earl Scruggs, John Hartford , Vassar Clements,Tut Taylor, Steve Martin, Gamble Rogers, Jimmy Buffett, Steve Goodman,The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John McEuen John Hammond, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Roger Sprung, Red & Murphy Henry, Dr. Hook, Tom Parks, Sally Fingerette, Stephen Wade, Mickey Clark, Charles Pettee (of the Shady Grove Band), Jack Williams, Will McLean (Florida's poet laureate) and many other great musical artists and entertainers.
Heritage:
Now living in the NC/VA Blueridge, David was born and raised in the citrus ridge country of West Florida. His ancestors came from France and Scotland to Nova Scotia in the 1620’s, emigrating to the American Colonies in New England in the late 1700s, down through VA with a branch settling in Florida. Growing up a half a mile from the old Seaboard Coastline rails Orange Blossom line and the last days of citrus shipping by Railway Express, aside from hearing the nearly continuous rail traffic, he listened to his granddad play stage tunes from the 1890’s and to his dad singing Acadian and Depression/Vaudeville era songs- a very musical family. Formal music training began at age 8 -- classical guitar with a Segovia School Master and then country/blues/jazz guitarist Roger Soule, and performing his first recital at 9 of a Villa Lobos piece. Hearing Merle Travis on his mom’s phonograph, David turned to steel string guitar beginning a lifelong love and study of traditional bluegrass, country blues & mountain string music.
Music History and Muses:
Slipping underage into local venues, he played in pickup bands from country/folk to blues, jazz and rock, with a first paid gig at 13. His influences at that time were Florida banjoist Paul Champion, bluegrass fiddler Chubby Wise (whom he often heard play Ervin Rouse's, "The Orange Blossom Special"), and the legendary troubadour/fingerpicker Gamble Rogers, later his mentor and friend for many years. In what he describes as "a not entirely mis-spent youth" he trekked to Nashville making a musical discovery which changed his life. He saw a small show of Norman Blake, Tut Taylor and John Hartford (the soon-to-be Dobrolic Plectral Society & future Aereoplain Band) at the Old Time Picking Parlor and GTR store. Later, he listened to Norman pick solo in a little bar for three nights in a row. David picked in two “watering holes” in Nashville, trying his new hands at this great music. He met Bill Monroe at an after hours set, who told him as he had done for so many -" keep at it, son". Learning every tune on Norman's first solo album, he still performs those songs as a tribute to Norman's style of playing reflecting his profound influence. David's shows include many different styles and instruments- flatpicking, fingerstyle, Travis picking, Celtic cross tunings and slide. With breaks along the way for his family and life's happenings, he's performed in every region of the US.
David’s arrangement work includes the widely acknowledged, definitive version of "The Kennesaw Line" (Don Oja-Dunaway's classic War Between the States ballad), and Lowell George's "Face of Appalachia” which rivet audiences with Scotch-Irish memory. A gifted prolific songwriter, between road dates David does studio session/demo work, advertising jingles, film music scores and on call sideman jobs for touring groups. He’s held fast to his family and musical roots, entertaining audiences with high-energy delivery and powerful stage presence.
From Celtic to Bluegrass, Country/Blues to Traditional & Contemporary Americana, when it comes to performing he says: “ I want to leave people entertained, inspired and uplifted, with memories that stay with them in their daily life-- for me, it's a matter of deep belief and dedication to the workmanship of my craft .” Audiences agree!
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