DAVID WILCOX (http://www.davidwilcox.com)

I first heard David Wilcox in 1989. I was listening to a local FM station while driving and his song "Like A Vehicle" came on.  I was absolutely knocked out.  After the song was over, I pulled over to a phone booth (back when we still used phone booths) and I called the station to find out "who did that incredible song".  I special-ordered David's CD "How Did You Find Me Here" and I was totally hooked.  That album (along with Shawn Colvin's "Steady On") pretty much kept me from jumping off a bridge that year. I was a total "David Wilcox evangelist" for the next few months.  I bought countless copies of the CD and told everybody I knew about this incredible music.  I, like many people, thought this was his first album.  Technically it was his second, but it was certainly his major-label debut and most people who heard him were introduced to this particular set of songs.

I had occasion to tell a friend in North Carolina about David and his music.  (It's Michael P. Murphy ... not the "Wildfire" guy. That's Michael Martin Murphey!)  Anyway, Michael got to talking with David after a local show in Asheville, NC.  And the conversation apparently turned to how Michael found out David.  Michael told him something to the effect of "It's a musician friend out in L.A., you probably don't know him."  David gently persisted and Mike said "It's a guy named Bob Bennett." According to Michael, David then said "Bob Bennett, I love Bob Bennett" and he picked up his guitar and started playing the opening riff of "Carpenter Gone Bad?"!

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted when I learned about all this. I honestly don't walk around thinking I'm any big deal ... so I'm still surprised when a guy walks up to me in the produce section of the supermarket!  A few months later (in early 1990), I saw David at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, we met and have been friends ever since.  I also met Alfred Johnson, one of the most wonderful and interesting writers and people I've ever met ... but that's a whole 'nother long-winded story.

With David, it's always been a long-distance friendship and I probably don't talk to him more than one time a year.  But there's a very nice instant bond whenever we wind up in the same orbit, usually around some evening of music.

In 1991, David was traveling through Austin to play a gig and then onto the Kerrvile Folk Festival. I went to the gig at UT and then a few days later called his manager to see if he would be willing to do some background vocals on SONGS FROM BRIGHT AVENUE.  As it turned out, he sang on "Angels Around Your Bed", "Hope Like A Stranger" and "Singing For My Life".

The particular little artifact you see here is David's 2002 CD ("Live Songs And Stories" ... W.A.R. Records).  I went to a local show at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.  I went as a civilian listener (honest), but I said hello to David after the show and he autographed my CD as seen here. He asked if I would stick around to play him a couple new tunes and we then gathered around for some impromptu playing and singing. I sang him some new tunes from THE VIEW FROM HERE ("The View From Here", "The Kings Of Summer Street" and "We Were The Kings") ... he played an incredible new, as-yet-unrecorded song called "God Knows Your Native Tongue".  A few of the audience members lingered ... one kind soul even prayed for us as we were finishing up.

Dave was great and it was a great encouragement to me that he liked the new songs.  I have such a high regard for this man as a writer, performer and fellow-traveler.  I told him that when I shamelessly drop his name, I always try to do it tastefully!