|
Keeping The Music Alive And Well
“Bluestone” is an eclectic fusion
of blues, rock and world rhythms, with hard driving grooves, soulful blues
guitar and David Shelly's vocals at the heart of their sound.
David grew up in a musical household, listening
to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. His mother was a Jazz singer, and grandfather
a songwriter. He clearly knew from a young age that he wanted to play music
and at age 15 he magically discovered Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf .
From there he actually
started as a drummer just out of high school. Then at 18, he started
playing the guitar, because he quickly learned guitar players got all
the chicks. He really didn’t start
singing until his early twenties and then played with Reggae Band “Tishan” which
is where you can hear the Reggae influences in some of his songs coming
from.
T'shan was wildly popular in local clubs
and David took the sound even further with his own band, opening for
everyone from The Clash and The Kinks to reggae star Dennis Brown, rocking
the house with an eclectic mix of worldbeat and blues roots. He started
writing music and was able to get a record deal with MCA records, but
unfortunately the record was never released. Shortly after David met
Cher and toured with her for a couple of years. At that point he knew
he wanted to get his own band together and moved to Florida in 92. He
kept the music alive and created “David
Shelley and Bluestone” about 6 years ago.
When some of his recordings were chosen for a movie soundtrack,
Shelley was cast to play a rock musician in Roger Vadim's remake of "And
God Created Women" starring Rebecca DeMornay. This lead to a role
in music videos for Cher on her "Heart Of Stone" album, including
the famous aircraft carrier scene of "If I Could Turn Back Time." The
pop diva was no stranger to blues rock talent and drafted the guitarist
to play in her touring band. Thus David performed at the 1989 American
Music Awards and the 1990 and 1991 MTV Music Awards, toured the US, Canada,
Australia, Ireland and the UK, and was seen by millions on cable channels
like VH1. Soon after he found himself as series regular and guitarist
for "The Ron Reagan Show" on Fox and his songs being played
on the CBS soap "The Guiding Light", ABC soap "General
Hospital", "Touched By An Angel", and "Promised Land". |
|
David then moved to the desert in an effort to reconnect with his musical
roots. Roaming the West, he hooked up with some Native American musicians in
Santa Fe. Featuring members of the Apache and Zuni tribes, The Mud Ponies (sometimes
called Seventh Son) played hard rocking Indian based blues throughout the Southwest.
For many years David has worked in the Native American community, performing
on the bill with John Trudell, Floyd Redcrow Westerman and the late Jessie
Ed Davis. He co-wrote and co-produced for Native American vocalists Paula Bowers
and Grammy Award winner Star Nayea. He also performs in Native American singer/songwriter
and former Seminole Tribal Chairman Chief Jim Billie's backup band.
David also had Blues Farm, an LA based band
often featuring blues star Coco Montoya, who encouraged Shelley to pursue his
dreams of being a blues artist. David is often invited to play with Allman
Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes' band Gov't Mule and he has shared the stage
with Allman Brothers alumnus Dan Toler, blues artists like Anson Funderburg,
Billy Branch, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Tommy Castro, Larry McCray as well as many
more.
David Shelley has done the work to become one
of the region's top blues performers. He headlines annually at the Riverwalk
Blues Festival in Fort Lauderdale, one of the largest of such events in the
country. In 2007 David represented the
South Florida Blues Society at the International Blues
Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. There, the David Shelley Band competed with
almost 160 bands from around the world, proudly making it to the top 10 finalists.
Nashville Experience and the new CD 'That's my train'
The new CD is a result of a magical chemistry developed
between David and the band who always deliver 110% on every song. Bluestone
is made up from some of South Florida's most in demand and creative musicians.
The band features stellar performances by David
Scott on Guitar, Charles
Gasper on Bass, John Yarling and Raul Hernandez on drums
and Bob
Taylor on Keyboards. Blues fans and Rockers alike will be sure to be quickly
drawn to the sparkling production and what these great players bring with their
emotional connection to the music.
|
After competing with 24
other bands over several months, David Shelley and Bluestone won the
chance to open for The Charlie Daniels Band at Sunfest, Florida's largest
waterfront music and art festival, in 2010. David also beat the competition
for a repeat opportunity to represent for the International Blues Challenge
competition sponsored by the South Florida Blues Society. During the
trip to Nashville, and time spent away, David's songwriting was reinvigorated
and soon after he was to be hard at work with writing, performing and
recording the original songs that became his new CD, 'That's My Train'
has just recently been recently released in early 2011 and the band is
already hard at work preparing for the next CD to be released in 2012.
Their focus is to put together a tour for 2012 featuring both releases
and in the meantime making the South Florida scene their home.
During the songwriting process David
usually starts with a raw rhythm and chord progression, using lyrical
hooks and danceable rhythms, and lastly the implementation of the lyrics.
Sometimes collaborating with other writers. The songs on “That’s
my Train” are
mostly a hybrid featuring modern blues with a rock edge. The band
is currently very excited to be currently aired in countries like Germany,
Belgium and Croatia and hope to get more exposure internationally. The
goal is to tour the world, performing in festivals while continuing to
write and record new songs together as a band. |
David says; "My best experience would
have to be time spent touring with Cher. It gave me the opportunity to travel,
meet amazing people and see music production at its highest level. It was
the era of big budget videos and Rock N Rock at its most decadent time. When
the record company decided not to release my music, it was tough and very disappointing.
But all I could do is keep at it. I love to see people having a good time and
have made some great friendships in all my years of performing. I’m so
grateful to our fans for keeping me from getting a day job!" David finds
himself currently listening to Susan Tedeschi Derek Trucks band, Robert Randolph,
and Government Mule among his favorites, and would loved to have played with
Muddy Waters and George Harrison.
Speaking for
all your fans, Bluestone rocks and we hope you keep it coming David, we'll
be waitin for the next train...
To learn more about David Shelley and Bluestone pleae visit on the web at
The
David Shelley Band
|
