Davíd Garza
Encyclopedia
Davíd Garza is an Austin
-based, American singer-songwriter
who infuses rock and pop with a Latin feel and whose vocal style draws comparisons to Freddie Mercury
, Jeff Buckley
, Donovan
and Robert Plant
.
, where he and his band Twang Twang Shock-A-Boom
(named in reference to the guitar, bass, and drums of the group) gained industry attention for Garza's combination of pop-savvy songwriting and Robert Plant-style vocals. After leaving the group to go solo, he formed a new backup band and gigged continually around and outside the Texas area, billed as Davíd Garza & The Lovebeads and later as DAH-VEED.
A third generation Mexican-American, David grew up between Dallas and Fort Worth. Before he was old enough to get into clubs, Garza was handpicked by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
to open for them in the funky warehouse district of Deep Ellum
. He played solo gigs by night and attended Catholic high school by day. After accepting a classical guitar scholarship at UT Austin, he dropped out a year later to be a full-time rocker
Garza released a flurry of solo cassettes and CDs, selling them for $5 and $10, respectively. He calls this the “Single Bill Theory,” one he maintains to the present day. He performed tirelessly on the regional club and college circuit, ultimately striking a major-label deal, in 1996. At first, Garza rebuffed various major label recording offers, choosing instead to record and distribute music on his own label, Wide Open Records. After releasing nine records and selling 30,000 copies on his own, he eventually signed with Lava/Atlantic
and was featured on the Great Expectations
soundtrack. His major-label debut, This Euphoria, followed in April 1998. For This Euphoria, he was featured in an ad campaign for Best Buy, saying "You don't know me but you will." He took over production duties for his second Lava/Atlantic record, 2001's Overdub, and brought in Will Calhoun
and Doug Wimbish
, the drummer and bassist of Living Colour
as his backup band for the sessions. Juliana Hatfield
contributed backing vocals on the song "Keep On Crying."
In 1999, at the height of his touring popularity, David was voted 2nd only behind Stevie Ray Vaughan
as Austin Musician of the Decade (Austin Chronicle).
In subsequent years, Garza has returned to releasing his music independently and plays frequently in Texas and in Los Angeles. A series of regular shows at L.A.'s Club Largo showcased his skill as a solo performer on both piano and guitar. During Garza’s live shows, people as highly regarded as producer/soundtrack icon Jon Brion
, Nickel Creek
, Grant Lee Phillips and Fiona Apple
regularly sat in with him. He has also done extensive work as a producer
and session musician
.
His song "Butterflies" was featured in the pilot episode of the TV series Veronica Mars
in 2004.
. He contributed guitar and production to Juliana Hatfield's Beautiful Creature
in 2000, and toured as keyboardist for Alejandro Escovedo
in 2001. The same year, he played on the soundtrack for the film Spy Kids
. In 2002, he worked with Rhett Miller
on The Instigator
, and in 2004 he appeared on Hanson
's record Underneath. In 2005, he toured with Fiona Apple
on her Extraordinary Machine
tour, performing both as the opening act and as a guitarist in her backing band. He also played on Blues Traveler
's 2007 album, Cover Yourself
.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
-based, American singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
who infuses rock and pop with a Latin feel and whose vocal style draws comparisons to Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
and Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
.
Biography
In 1989, following stints in numerous high-school bands, Garza enrolled in the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he and his band Twang Twang Shock-A-Boom
Twang Twang Shock-A-Boom
Twang Twang Shock-a-Boom, is an acoustic three-piece band led by Davíd Garza. The name is derived from the sounds of the guitar, bass, and drums...
(named in reference to the guitar, bass, and drums of the group) gained industry attention for Garza's combination of pop-savvy songwriting and Robert Plant-style vocals. After leaving the group to go solo, he formed a new backup band and gigged continually around and outside the Texas area, billed as Davíd Garza & The Lovebeads and later as DAH-VEED.
A third generation Mexican-American, David grew up between Dallas and Fort Worth. Before he was old enough to get into clubs, Garza was handpicked by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is an alternative rock jam band that originated in Texas in the mid-1980s. The band is best known for their 1988 hit "What I Am" from the album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. Their music contains elements of rock, folk, blues, and jazz...
to open for them in the funky warehouse district of Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum is an arts and entertainment district near downtown in east Dallas, Texas . It lies directly east of the elevated I-45/US 75 freeway and extends to Exposition Avenue, connected to downtown by, from north to south, Pacific, Elm, Main, Commerce, and Canton streets...
. He played solo gigs by night and attended Catholic high school by day. After accepting a classical guitar scholarship at UT Austin, he dropped out a year later to be a full-time rocker
Garza released a flurry of solo cassettes and CDs, selling them for $5 and $10, respectively. He calls this the “Single Bill Theory,” one he maintains to the present day. He performed tirelessly on the regional club and college circuit, ultimately striking a major-label deal, in 1996. At first, Garza rebuffed various major label recording offers, choosing instead to record and distribute music on his own label, Wide Open Records. After releasing nine records and selling 30,000 copies on his own, he eventually signed with Lava/Atlantic
Lava Records
Lava Records is an American based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated through Universal Republic Records.-Company history:...
and was featured on the Great Expectations
Great Expectations (1998 film)
Great Expectations is a 1998 contemporary film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel of the same name, directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro, Anne Bancroft and Chris Cooper. It is known for having moved the setting of the original novel from 1861...
soundtrack. His major-label debut, This Euphoria, followed in April 1998. For This Euphoria, he was featured in an ad campaign for Best Buy, saying "You don't know me but you will." He took over production duties for his second Lava/Atlantic record, 2001's Overdub, and brought in Will Calhoun
Will Calhoun
Will Calhoun is an American drummer, who graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music.-Career:...
and Doug Wimbish
Doug Wimbish
Doug Wimbish is a bass player, primarily known for his studio work for the rap/hip hop label Sugarhill Records and his membership of the funk metal band Living Colour. He has played for a vast range of artists, including Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Madonna, George Clinton, Paula Cole, Bomb the Bass,...
, the drummer and bassist of Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
as his backup band for the sessions. Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield , is an American guitarist/singer-songwriter and author from the Boston area, formerly of the indie rock bands Blake Babies and Some Girls. She currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
contributed backing vocals on the song "Keep On Crying."
In 1999, at the height of his touring popularity, David was voted 2nd only behind Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
as Austin Musician of the Decade (Austin Chronicle).
In subsequent years, Garza has returned to releasing his music independently and plays frequently in Texas and in Los Angeles. A series of regular shows at L.A.'s Club Largo showcased his skill as a solo performer on both piano and guitar. During Garza’s live shows, people as highly regarded as producer/soundtrack icon Jon Brion
Jon Brion
Jon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
, Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek was an American progressive acoustic music trio consisting of Chris Thile , Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins . The band was founded in 1989 and released 6 albums between 1993 and 2006...
, Grant Lee Phillips and Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Apple met international acclaim for her 1996 debut album, Tidal, which was a critical and commercial success...
regularly sat in with him. He has also done extensive work as a producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
His song "Butterflies" was featured in the pilot episode of the TV series Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
in 2004.
Discography
- Just Say Love (1991)
- Summer Songs 1 (1991)
- Summer Songs 2 (1992)
- Eyes Wide Open (1992)
- Culture Vulture (1993)
- Conmigo (1994)
- Blind Hips In Motion (1995)
- 1000 Copies (1996)
- 4-Track Manifesto EP (1997)
- This Euphoria (1998)
- Kingdom Come and Go (1999)
- Summer Songs 3 (2000)
- Overdub (2001)
- Alarm/Alarm Spring (2002)
- Summer Songs 4 (2002)
- Secret Album (2003)
- Amorea (2003)
- Covers/Colcha (2003)
- Summer Songs 5 (2003)
- A Strange Mess of Flowers (box set) (2004)
- Oh Dread EP (download) (2005)
- May Ides EP (download)(2005)
- Chuy Chuy Yall EP (download) (2005)
- Summer Songs 6 (2005)
- Sound of Music EP (download) (2005)
- Davíd Garza (2005 Tour CD) (2005)
- Slaughterhouse Jive (download)(2008)
- filmusic (download) (2008)
- Dream Delay (2008)
- Summer Songs 7 (2009)
- AD HOC (2009)
- Dream Demos (2009)
- The Road To ACL (2010)
Collaborations
Throughout his career, David Garza has done studio and live session work for a number of artists. In 1994, he played on the album Woman As Salvation, by fellow Texans JackopierceJackopierce
Jackopierce is an American alternative rock band formed by Jack O'Neill and Cary Pierce in Dallas, Texas in 1988. Their style is focused around vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars.-History:...
. He contributed guitar and production to Juliana Hatfield's Beautiful Creature
Beautiful Creature
Beautiful Creature is the fourth solo album by Juliana Hatfield, released in 2000.-Track listing:#"Daniel" – 4:31#"Close Your Eyes" – 3:21#"Choose Drugs" – 3:41#"Cool Rock Boy" – 4:00...
in 2000, and toured as keyboardist for Alejandro Escovedo
Alejandro Escovedo
Alejandro Escovedo is an American singer-songwriter.-Biography:The son of Mexican immigrants to Texas, Escovedo is from a family that boasts several professional musicians, including brothers Coke Escovedo and Pete Escovedo, and Sheila E...
in 2001. The same year, he played on the soundtrack for the film Spy Kids
Spy Kids
The Spy Kids series is a series of family action adventure films written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The main plot follows the adventures of two Cortez children who become involved in their parents' espionage. The rest of their family are spies as well, including their estranged...
. In 2002, he worked with Rhett Miller
Rhett Miller
Stewart Ransom Miller II , better-known as Rhett Miller is the lead singer of the alternative country band Old 97's and a successful solo musician. He graduated from St. Mark's School of Texas, a private boys' school in Dallas in 1989 and briefly attended Sarah Lawrence College on a creative...
on The Instigator
The Instigator
The Instigator is the second studio album by American country/rock band performer, Rhett Miller, lead singer of the Old 97's. Miller's first album came more than a decade before, languishing in folk obscurity, but The Instigator received airplay and as much commercial success as any Old 97's...
, and in 2004 he appeared on Hanson
Hanson (band)
Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
's record Underneath. In 2005, he toured with Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Apple met international acclaim for her 1996 debut album, Tidal, which was a critical and commercial success...
on her Extraordinary Machine
Extraordinary Machine
Extraordinary Machine is the third album by American singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, released by Epic Records in the United States on October 4, 2005. Produced by Jon Brion, it was expected to be released in 2003 but was delayed several times by the record label without explanation, leading to...
tour, performing both as the opening act and as a guitarist in her backing band. He also played on Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band has been influenced by a variety of genres, including blues-rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock...
's 2007 album, Cover Yourself
Cover Yourself
Cover Yourself is Blues Traveler's ninth album. It contains previously released songs reworked with acoustic instrumentation and, for some songs, different arrangements from the originals.-History:...
.