David Childers - 20 Questions and featured song (New!! see player on side bar)

[flyinshoes review]

1.. WHERE WERE YOU BORN, WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina; and grew up in the small textile
town of Mount Holly, North Carolina, 10 miles from Charlotte. I went off to
Military School and college after that when I was fifteen, then graduate
school and different jobs; wound up back in Mount Holly with my wife Linda,
and our two kids, Robert (my drummer now), and Meghan (my sweetheart and a
great fan of live music). I've moved around the state and lived on the
coast; but I've been back in this place since 1981.

2. WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MUSICAL MEMORY?

Church music as a very young child; "Jesus Loves Me"; and Elvis. It was all
happening at the same time

3. WHAT WAS THE FIRST RECORD YOU OWNED?

Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits

4. WHEN AND WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST PERFORMANCE?

An old folk club in Charlotte, that is now a dirt parking lot; called
Mothers. One long, drunken night in August of 1972, just after returning from
California. Played with Jim Blackmon, who gave me my first guitar, and stole
my second one. He was "The Wild Colonial Boy". We played football together
in high school and took to folk music later. He died last year from a
hemorrhage. His family had moved to Louisiana.

5. WHO IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE ON YOUR WORK?

Bob Dylan. I've been through all kind of influences but he is still
paramount and inspired me and lead me to other artists at an early age.

6. WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE CONCERT YOU'VE ATTENDED?

The Platters, Spring of 1968, Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. I
went with a few other cadets from the military school I was going to. We got
front row seats as we came very early and watched everything; the band
warming up and setting up; through the last encore.

7. WHAT IS THE WORST JOB YOU'VE EVER HAD?

garbage man

8. WHAT IS THE BEST JOB YOU'VE EVER HAD?

Front man in a rock and roll band

9. WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARTIST (ALL MEDIA)?

Tom Waits

10. WHAT IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE BOOK

The Bible

11. WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE INSTRUMENT?

piano

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG YOU'VE WRITTEN?

Don't know

13. WHAT IS THE FAVOURITE SONG SOMEONE ELSE HAS WRITTEN?

Barbara Allen by Anonymous

14. HAVE YOU EVER COLLABORATED IN SONGWRITING?

yes

15. CAN SONGWRITING BE TAUGHT OR IS IT A GOD-GIVEN TALENT

Both

16. WHAT SINGLE THING HAS HELPED YOU MOST IN YOUR CAREER?

The love of my wife, Linda

17. WHAT SINGLE THING HAS HINDERED YOUR CAREER?

Can't answer that as I don't feel I've been hindered by anything; and have
far surpassed any kind of acceptance or success I ever expected. Maybe not
really getting going until I was past forty; but I just feel that's how the
Lord meant it to be.

18. WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE DRINK?

water

19. WHO'S YOUR FAVOURITE POLITICIAN

Bill Clinton

20. ( THE ADVERT) IN LESS THAN 100 WORDS DESCRIBE YOUR LATEST DISC.

This record comes the closest to capturing the live feel of my band. We had
played together often and intensely for three years when Don Dixon threw us
into the best studio in the area (Reflections); and just let us be
ourselves. Ever since going to Nashville and making what I thought was a
stiff, artificial, and too perfect record; I decided to never do it that
way; and have tried with each record to keep it real. Room 23 does that. If
not, I would have walked away from it.



ARTIST FACTS

http://www.davidchilders.com

[Editorial]

Ive featured this archive interview with David Childers not just because I enjoyed reading it again, not even because I truly believe David Childers to be one of American music's unsung heroes, but to remind everyone involved in this growing experiment in multi-media reporting of the founding no frill matter of fact reporting that was and I hope still remains the core vision of this site, Ive added a David Childers track to the house player too.
Editor