Dave was born in Illinois one muggy Tuesday with a song stuck in his head. The doctors couldn't get it out. He was also left-handed but they couldn't fix that either. He grew into a little kid. His hobbies included ruminating and kickin' stuff down the street. Then he growed up more. Or at least he got taller.

Now he's a ditch digger and singer/songwriter who’s been playing around the Chicago area -- places like Schubas, FitzGeralds, Empty Bottle, Uncommon Ground, Chicagofest, etc. -- and points beyond for quite some time. Solo, full band, and everything in between.

Through the years he’s also paid the electric bill by teaching guitar and bass at a music school, played in the pit for various play productions, and shamefully hid out in gruesome cover bands. (And good cover bands like the Dangerous Zucchinis and the Blind Robins.)

He’s released three CDs -- all getting good reviews and bits of airplay here and there. After recording his first one, "Toaster Reflection," he spent some time in Austin, Texas -- playing around, driving a bakery truck, soaking up the thriving indy music scene and living on scads of pastries and ricotta herb bread.

Dave returned North with a tad more twang. He recorded the rootsy, slightly darker "Scofflaws" and continued playing gigs. And digging ditches.

His latest release on Clayhead Records is "Scrawny." This one's getting more airplay, both here and in Europe. Richard Milne of WXRT in Chicago calls it "a delicious collection of distinctly American music." There’s the spare roots-pop of "Piece of the Sun," the toothless holler and stomp of "Autumn in August," the reggae-billy "Coat," the electric folk-blues of "Ambidextrous," the tipsy waltz "I Wanna Marry a Waitress," and more. As in the past, various Chicago area music pals contribute accordion, cello, dobro, mandolin, hollerin', dulcimer, crowbar, lap steel, horns, cardboard box, etc. to the loose guitar, bass and drums framework.

When asked if his music might provide a splash of water on a tinderbox world, Dave replied "I never met a couch I couldn't sleep on." Indeed.

Currently he is promoting "Scrawny," playing gigs all over, fixin' to start work on his next release, and occasionally playing in the swillbilly band "Dick Smith," who’ve recently released their debut CD "Swill" on Clayhead Records. And kickin' somethin' down the street whenever he steals the chance.

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