In this week’s 10 Questions we get to know Dead Dave, an indie artist from Camano Island, WA, USA.
Their song ‘Fields Of Caroline‘ is currently featured on the NAS Spotify playlists
You can follow Dead Dave on Twitter/X
1. Tell us a little about where you are from.
I grew up on a farm in southeastern North Carolina. Moved to the “big city” of Raleigh when I was 22 and spent my adult life there until this year, when I decided to make a big change and moved to Camano Island, WA.
2. What inspired Dead Dave to start playing and making music?
As early as I can remember, I liked being creative. I was full of ideas that were just clamoring to get out. I’ve always been very artistic, drawing and painting. And I like to write: fiction, poetry, and eventually songs. I took piano and trumpet lessons in middle school, and started my first band in high school.
I was full of ideas that were just clamoring to get out.
3. Who are Dead Dave’s biggest musical influences?
Man, I grew up on the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels (from my neck of the woods, btw), the Eagles, Molly Hatchett, KISS, Springsteen, Prince. And while my musical style is nothing like Prince, he’s definitely one of my biggest influences with how he ignored current trends to just make music he liked. My style is a bit of a throwback to Southern Rock but mixed with the cadences of modern country riding on urban rhythms.
4. What are your goals in the music industry or as an artist?
Honestly, I’m not looking for fame or fortune. I simply want to share my songs. Since I can no longer sing or perform myself, I think the biggest honor to me would be somebody else performing one of my songs.
5. Tell us about your creative process.
Most of my songs start with a story that becomes the base of the lyrics. As noted, I can’t sing anymore but I can still whistle. So I usually think about the words and whistle until I get a melody I like. I record that melody as the foundation for what I create in Ableton, then take it to Suno to flesh out the song. I then bring the stems back to my DAW to clean up and edit. I add my digital voice in place of the Suno-generated vocals, stitch everything together, and master.
So I usually think about the words and whistle until I get a melody I like.
6. What is your all-time favorite song by another artist and why?
Probably Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It’s an iconic song that’s easy to sing along to, yet has a deep powerful message embedded in the catchy lyrics.
7. What is the best advice you have either given or received in terms of music?
Best advice I ever got was to stop worrying about what others think of you and focus on what you want to create. There will always be critics so make yourself happy.
8. What is your proudest accomplishment?
Musically, the first time my band was booked for a live gig and left to a standing ovation. It’s one thing to think your music is worthwhile, but it’s really cool when that feeling is validated by people listening.
9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment so far?
I was once asked by a friend who was getting married to sing a duet with her sister at her wedding. We practiced just fine but then, at the ceremony, we were both totally off-key! That was so terrible!!!
We practiced just fine but then, at the ceremony, we were both totally off-key!
10. Tell us about your lowest and highest points in music so far.
Lowest is easy. That was when the tremors in my hands and the waver in my voice became so pronounced that I just could not perform anymore. I walked away from music for nearly 20 years. As for the highest point, it was quite early on. It was with my first band, Phaze, and I got my first actual fan letterโฆ handwritten and mailed to my home. I was over the moon that someone liked my music enough to take time to write and send me such an awesome letter.
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