Hey, and welcome to Dave Russell's Myspace Page!!!
A lot of bands, Artists and musicians in the "Music Biz" have taken to having other people write, publish and even admin their pages to give it more of what
they feel is a "More Professional" feel to the page. Well, I have been thinking, what is Myspace, other than "MY SPACE"?
It is really easy to try and talk about myself, music, and band in the third person,,,but why??
Hopefully, you are here because you are one of the following:
You have come to our shows,(We perform throughout the country at Fairs, Festivals, Corporate Events, and Headlining Concerts)
seen us
for the first time,(Our fanbase is constantly growing)
seen us for the thousandth time,(We stay in touch with our fans as best we
can and love to see them at our shows)
have heard about us,(we have been featured on numerous TV shows along with magazine articles)
want to hear more about us,and hopefully someone that is checking us out to potentially put us in your venue, club or have us at your
event!!!
I want to stay away from the standard " Dave is a country music singer who has been playing guitar and singing for years and has the best band around" I
have come to the realization that "Every Band, Every Singer, Every Musician, and just about anyone in the Entertainment Industry,THINKS THEY ARE THE
BEST"!!!
AND also, it depends on what circle of friends they run with, but, odds are, those close to them will think they are "The Best" also.
So, If I am not going to try and convince you that I, along with my band are the "Best there is or ever was", what I really would like to do is just tell you
about Me, my band, what we have done, are doing and show you samples of what we do.
What do we do you may ask??
Well, WE WORK HARD ON AND OFF STAGE,,,TO BE THE BEST WE CAN, TO GIVE YOU THE BEST SHOW WE CAN and reach as many people as possible!!!
I grew up in a small community called Midway, (it was "midway" between Winston-Salem and Lexington, NC). the youngest of 7 kids, all I ever remember wanting
to do was be an "Entertainer". From an early age, I loved music, singing and playing any kind of instrument I could get my hands on.
Funny thing is, my brothers and sisters took lessons and wanted to play music, but lost interest so that when I asked , I was told, "oh, you won't stay with
it"!! Oh how things sometimes work out!!!
Growing up in such a small town, you really don't want to have to go to your parents and say "Hey, I don't want to work in a "Normal" job,, I want to be an entertainer". The first reaction would be, "oh, so you want to be a BUM"?
So, I sang when I could, through school, garage bands, musicals, pretty much anywhere and everywhere.
My mother became sick when I was in the fourth grade with cancer. For close to 5 yrs, she fought it into remission. During that time, I became a real home body spending a lot of time by myself and her side to help as she was bed ridden. My father had a reel to reel tape recorder that looked like one of those really expensive ones on TV so I would set it up in a spare room with whatever music instruments and mics I could find and began singing. I did that for a
couple years.
Mother passed away when I was 13 but before she died, she had one clear day that she called me to her bedside, told me she was proud of me, NO MATTER WHAT I WANTED TO DO, and that I could be whatever I wanted to, just be happy!!!
That had a very profound inpact on me, but at the same time, I still did not think that I would ever have my father's support to be an entertainer so, I took the safe route. I started working as soon as I turned 15, and at times had 2 jobs at a time.
My mother's death did stay with me and became one of the first songs that I ever wrote, called "WHISPER". You can download it over at the link to iTunes.
After Graduation, I started working at UPS, along with my job at McDonalds as a manager. I worked pretty much 7 days a week, day and night. I had hoped it would squash the desire to be on stage. During that time, I had a motorcycle accident that put me out of commision for a while. I severely damaged my left leg, broke pins in my shoulder, (football in high school), and sank into a pretty dark space.
I started working also, at a leather store, and was introduced to a friend of the manager's that was an aspiring song writer who wanted to have some demo's cut of his songs. I agreed and before long, was cutting the demo's along with performing in talent competitions. After winning several, I decided there must be something to it, and set out to audition for OPRYLAND, the "Country Music version of Disneyland".
I was hired, and sent to their new park down in San Antonio to perform. From there, I was hired to do shows for many production companies in venues such as Branson, Reno, Biloxi, San Antonio, North Carolina, and others.
All the while, I was still un sure what daddy thought, so I asked him what he felt about what I was doing.
His direct quote was, "Dave, ever since you were little, I thought you should be an entertainer. You were always singing, acting, and just performing. I just assumed that if you really wanted to do it,, you would"!!! Again, funny how things work out!!
I was performing in Branson, MO, when a producer saw me and thought I would be the right person to fill the lead singer spot in his 'Award winning" Country Show at Harrah's in Reno. Along with that show there would be the chance to also lead the "Late Night" rock and roll show. I jumped at the chance and off to Reno I went!!!
While there, I performed in multiple country and RnR shows for a couple years. working 6 nights a week really let me get better vocally, physically, and mentally as I was working with seasoned professionals who really could push me. It was there that I met my first wife, a California girl!!
Seeing that changing shows,, I left Reno, to go to Lake Tahoe and Biloxi to star in other Production shows, I realized that they were just "Lateral Moves" and not really advancing what I wanted to do,, Be a 'recording and performing" leader of a great band!!
So, with that, I left Production shows, moved to California,(East Bay, and eventually Sacramento), and put together some of the best musicians I could find. We started performing all over the state in fairs, festivals, corporate functions, and rodeo's. I also started doing more studio work and even was chosen to provide 17 different "Voices of Country Stars" for a Nationallly released video game for "Playstation 2" called "CMT PRESENTS: Karaoke Revolution COUNTRY".
I also became a father!!! His name is Jake, and he rules my world. I have always loved kids and now with one of my own, I am amazed at how much you can love something!! I try to always make time for kids, and love when they come out to our shows!!
Now most recently, I have been lucky enough to cross paths with Jerry Cupit of Cupit Records. I knew of his work with such artists as Kevin Sharp and Ken Mellons. He is a very well respected writer, (songs and books), producer, and has had Cupit Records / recording studio for over 25 yrs. Jerry and I it it off from the start, began writing together and he signed me to a development deal with Cupit Music!!!
And basically, up to now, this is what we are working on and doing!!
We are currently finishing up our first National Recording project along with writing more songs to do out live and hope to have the release at the first of 2011!!
So, I hope this has given you a little about me, who I am, and what I am doing!!
For more Details as to the band members, press articles about me, pictures, updates about shows, appearances and stuff, please visit; www.daverussell.com and check it out. There is all kinds of stuff over there even down to what instruments we play on stage. So Head on over there and check it out!!!
And until then, or when I see ya,, Have a great day, week, month, year and come on out and see us,,,Hear?
