Songwriter Sessions in the Redstone Room

David G Smith
Your host for the evening.

Internationally acclaimed Artist-Songwriter David G Smith is an acoustic roots solo performer with a lyric-intensive style featuring guitars,  resonator, music and a voice that range from dirt-funk to intimate. His music is a blend of Folk, Americana, Country & Blues. David was recently accepted as a Juried Artist by Noel Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul & Mary) Music-To-Life org. He is a 2008 International Song Competition 1st Place Winner, a Robert Oermann DISCovery award recipient, and two-time ISC Semifinalist. He performs at the prestigious Bluebird Cafe/Nashville where his shows are regularly sold out. David has released 11 albums and Mary Gauthier and Keb Mo make appearances on 4 of them to include a duet with Mary called “Shine”. He has three nationwide #1 singles and four nationwide #1 albums to include his latest release, Witness Trees, on the Roots Music Report (RMR) Folk & Alt-Folk Charts. His single “River Gonna Talk”,was a nationwide 2023 #1 add on the NACC chart and reached #1 in the nation on Radio Guitar One’s Top 30 Americana Chart. David has been featured in American Songwriter and his songs have appeared on TNT, Lifetime Network, Travel Channel , several PBS affiliates shows and he has a string of indie & major-indie song-cuts. His last 4 albums have been accepted for Grammy consideration. His Give-Back Series donates time and raises money and awareness for a variety of charitable causes. David, his voice and his songs are authentic.

I have walked beside David G Smith for many, many years, and I am in awe of his body of work. David’s brand new record, ‘Witness Trees’, produced by Neilson Hubbard, contains groove, story, great singing and great songs. Bravo! —Mary Gauthier/Artist

“Like John Prine and Guy Clark, David G Smith draws inspiration from his life and those  around him. His songs capture the drama and good times, the laughter and loss that  are the components of the modern world.“ -Tom Wilks, ICON Magazine

“David G Smith is a major find.” – Robert K. Oermann, Music Row/Nashville

Social Media: https://linktr.ee/davidgsmithmusic
Music Link: https://heydavemusic.com/digital-store

Dave Moore

Dave Moore is one of the great songwriters to come out of the state of Iowa.  Known for his elegant songwriting and instrumental prowess on blues guitar, button accordion and harmonica he has become somewhat of a legend.  Coming of age in the late ’60s and early ’70s, Dave enrolled in college only to drop out to follow a girlfriend down to Guadalajara, Mexico.  Though the journey lasted only a few months, it was to be the first of many travels in Latin America and totally altered his world view.  Returning to the States for the holidays in 1971, his mother serendipitously left a harmonica in his Christmas stocking and he soon found that he could not quit playing it.  He spent the next few years traveling the Southwest and Northwest, working an assortment of jobs (lumberyard worker, fruit picker, plumber’s assistant) – all the time getting deeper into music.

After his western travels and another lengthy sojourn in Latin America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) he found that the college town of Iowa City had turned into quite the music scene.  Folk,  blues, and rock were spilling into the streets as music hangout began to pop up all over the city.

Around this time, he began to experiment with guitar and decided that he wanted to learn the instrument.  Inconspicuously, he headed back to Mexico-this time to a town that has since become a home-away-from-home, San Cristobal de las Casas.  With only a little plywood-topped Harmony 6-string, he holed up with a box of blues tapes and took occasional lessons from a Chiapas guitarist with a passion for American ragtime.

In 1980 Dave returned to Iowa City and teamed up with local songwriter Greg Brown who was just beginning to develop a national reputation.  For the next few years Dave backed up Brown on recording projects, extensive tours and several appearances on Garrison Keillor’s popular A Prairie Home Companion on NPR.

It was at this time Dave stumbled onto his other great musical passion, the accordian.  Awestruck by an accordion album featuring Fred Zimmerle’s Trio San Antonio, he traveled to Texas where he sought out the great masters of Conjunto music: Zimmerle, Johnny Degallado, and Santiago Jimenez, Sr. (the legendary father of Flaco and Santiago, Jr.).  All three men would give him lessons and encouragement on the 3-row button box.

In 1984 at a little folk festival, Dave won a contest whose prize was free recording time in a studio.  He took the oppurtunity to record Jukejoints and Cantinas, an album that brilliantly pulled together all of the American roots influences that had been stewing in him for years.  He passed its 14 sizzling blues and Conjunto tracks on to Bob Feldman of Red House Records, who enthusiastically offered to put it out.

The release of Jukejoints… led to a National Endowment for the Arts grant that underwrote three intensive months in Tejas studying with accordion master Fred Zimmerle.  Occasionally sitting in with Fred’s band in the dance halls, Dave found himself completely immersed in a major American regional music tradition.   Fred quickly became one of Dave’s closest friends and until his death, the closest thing he had to a mentor.

In 1986 Garrison Keillor invited Dave to perform on A Prairie Home Companion and after frequent appearances, he became the show’s band leader on tours to Alaska and Hawaii.  A year or two earlier he had quietly started writing his own song and in 1990 he released Over My Shoulder, an 11-song collection that has become a cult classic.

Moore was in preproduction of his third disc in 1994 when his wife lost a daughter in infancy.  He stopped playing for a while, and when he did return, preferred to stay closer to home and family.  Five years went by, songs accumulated and, in time, a desire to return to recording and touring.  He had written an enormous number of chilling-to-the-bone songs based on his own experiences.

In mid 1998, he announced that he was ready to record again.  Seeking a co-producer for the project, he looked to Iowa City roots-rocker Bo Ramsey, who had produced several discs for Greg Brown and had just finished touring in Lucinda Williams’ band.  Dave had long admired Bo’s work and instinctively felt he was the best man to guide the recording session.

The result was Breaking Down to 3, an album that is considered his best ever.  Recorded with an all-Iowa band, the songs are as breathtaking as they are stunning with vivid imagery drawn from the depth of his life experiences painting a picture of the quintessential American journey.

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/davemooremusician
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDrdPcvOyZ4

Catfish Keith

Social Media: https://www.catfishkeith.com/bio-and-press/
Music: https://www.catfishkeith.com/videos/

COMMON CHORD POLICIES:
*Tickets*
Advance tickets are only available online. Tickets may be purchased at the door the day of the show, subject to availability. Tickets are non-transferable and may only be purchased directly from Common Chord.

*Reserved Seating*
This is an all-seated show. Each attendee is guaranteed a seat.

Physical Accommodations: If you require a reserved space due to health or physical needs, you will need to purchase your General Admission ticket first and then email feedback@commonchordqc.org to make your request.

*Age Restrictions*
Most shows in the Redstone Room are All Ages unless otherwise noted. Those under 19 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

*Further Questions?*
Please email feedback@commonchordqc.org