Dave Gleason: He's A Little Bit Country

There are certain people you come across in life that contain that certain spark, that certain special something. You can never quite put your finger on what "that" is but you know it's there and you know what ever that person chooses to focus on, they will illuminate that part of the world. Such is the case with the very talented singer, guitarist and song writer - Dave Gleason.

The following interview I did recently with Dave at his home in Highland Park, CA is really an in-depth look at his knowledge and passion for a wide variety of musical styles. His progression from being a rock n' roller when I first met him back in San Francisco, to the incredible County Music guitar slinger he is today, is a fascinating tale.

It was great to reconnect with an old friend and discover just what he's been up to. Watching him in action explains it all. Enjoy a live performance I filmed of The Dave Gleason Trio here and see for yourself!

Here's to being a little bit country and a little bit rock n' roll,

Julie Pavlowski Green
June 14, 2014

PT: When did you start playing an instrument?

DG: I started playing music around the age of 5 in Northern California where I grew up. I was obsessed with The Ventures, and I oddly started out as a drummer. I got pretty good at drumming when I was a kid-but always wanted to play guitar as well, so I started guitar (on various guitar's I'd borrowed from friends) about age 14 or so, and I started to see results pretty quickly and really enjoyed exploring guitar, so I gave my drums away to a friend and never looked back! Though it wasn't until my late 20's that I...literally woke up one day and decided to take guitar playing seriously as a career move.

Dave and his lovely wife Dawn Mink

PT: How did you get into Country Music?

DG: That music runs in my family. My Dad and Grandfather were both country musicians, and the LP's we had around the house were Buck Owens/Merle Haggard/Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell and things like that. And all those artists had incredible country guitar pickers on them! Don Rich w/ Buck Owens, Roy Nichols w/ Merle Haggard, James Burton w/ Haggard and Emmylou, and Albert Lee w/ Emmylou and Rodney Crowell. And that sound just stuck with me-even in my various phases of music genre explorations I always had country albums laying around-though later in life I really dug in and did some serious research and obsessing on country music from 50's and 60', traveling around and hitting as many used LP shops as I could...which I still do!

PT: When and how long did you live in Nashville? Did you play with local musicians?

DG: I was in Nashville for 2 years, and it was just one of those things I had to do, see what it was all about and what might happen for me out there. And it was very educational and interesting, and I certainly met and played music with some great folks...still have a lot of friends out there that I am in touch with. I played with loads of local Nashville musicians, in line-ups doing my material as well as working on the 'Lower Broadway Honky Tonk' circuit. I really lucked out and got plenty of work, and recorded an album of new DG material in Nashville with some real heroes of mine- The Fabulous Superlatives who are Marty Stuart's excellent band- Kenny Vaughan, Harry Stinson, Paul Martin & Gary Carter. I still haven't released this album BUT it will be coming asap...I am working on a DG instrumental album right now as well here in L.A.

PT: What living musician has influenced you the most?

DG: Living musical influence...good question! Too many to mention really...but a few folks I have got a lot influence from (and I am lucky to say all are friends of mine), would be: for the singer-songwriter/band leader side of me, Jim Lauderdale and James Intveld are 2 faves, and guitar player side- Jim Campilongo, Kenny Vaughan & Albert Lee. All these guys really showed me 'how it's done' if you know what I mean, and they all mean a lot to me, very significant in my musical career and how I approach things.

PT: In what way does California Country Music differ from other Country Music styles?

DG: California Country Music...is a term that really applies to a time and place that is long gone to be honest with you. That is a term that was used regarding Buck Owens and The Bakersfield Sound, and was louder and more aggressive bar room style music. Nashville was very slick in the 50's and 60's with their sound, the Chet Atkins style of production (which I really like a lot too). The California stuff was a little hotter- played through Fender Telecasters and Fender amps, louder volume and twang to be heard over the huge crowds that would pack the 100's of Honky Tonk bars all over Bakersfield, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Brisbane & San Francisco etc. There is just not enough people to support that style of music anymore, it's very underground. You have to really like it, and really look for it to find real California Country Music being played on bandstands these days. And- of course there are some great folks playing it still, but not like it used to be. The last great (in my opinion) California-style Country band are The Derailers -who REALLY nail that sound. Though they are from Austin TX!

PT: Do you see your music as Country Music driven by Rock sensibilities or Rock 'n Roll with a Country flavor?

DG: I would have to say my music would be Country Music with Rock sensibilities...though the direction I have taken over the last couple of years has leaned very hard into Memphis style R'n'B and Soul music. Steve Cropper sitting in with The Buckaroos perhaps. With the Dave Gleason Trio (Steve Mugalian-Drums & Greg Boaz-Bass) we lean into a lot of Bakersfield Country, a bit of Bobby Fuller & Buddy Holly, and a lot of Blues & R'n'B styles...we will play Jimmy McGriff & Jimmy Smith 'Organ-Jazz' tunes (without the B-3 Organ, I do my best to cover on guitar), Roy Buchanan Telecaster-style material, some Chuck Berry style material...all over the place! It really makes sense to me as we kind of... sound like my record collection! I love all that stuff.

PT: Tells a story about that amazing whammy built into your guitar!

DG: The modification on 2 of my guitars is the 'Parsons-White Pull-String' mechanism, or 'B-Bender'. It's an invention crafted by Gene Parsons and the late Clarence White. It gives the effect of a Pedal Steel guitar. Attached to the B string via a mechanism installed in the back of the guitar, and activated from your strap button. You don't see these too often anymore but, this modification and style of playing was very popular in the 1970's with L.A.Country-Rock scene. My friend Bob Warford excelled at this style, as did Albert Lee. And of course Clarence White on those great late 60's 'Shaggy Byrds' albums. These days I would say Marty Stuart is the keeper of the flame of Clarence White B-Bender stylings. And he owns Clarence White's famous Telecaster-which I have been lucky enough to play and marvel at. By the way-the great Gene Parsons is still installing Pull-String mechanisms in guitars at his house in Caspar/Mendocino, CA. Look him up! 

PT: We met back in San Francisco during the Charmkin Days. How do you think living in the City at that time has influenced your music today?

DG: Yes, we met many years ago in our San Francisco days...late 80's and early 90's. I don't know how much influence SF had on my music but it sure had a lot of impact on me with the people I met and friends I made, and the constant swirl of bands and musicians to investigate. And that meaning- mainly the (at the time) obscure 1960's Psych & Garage music I was turned on to. I probably wouldn't have found that music without spending those years there. You know- the UK stuff, and the Mod sounds, and Texas 60's music,...not much of that made it out to Walnut Creek/Concord CA but in San Francisco at that time- it seemed Everyone was into that stuff-and knew all about it-as well as dressed the part!

The Dave Gleason Trio: Greg Boaz - Bass • Dave Gleason - Guitar • Chris Sprague - Drums

PT: Tell us about the band you were in at the time called Wonderwall.

DG: Wonderwall! Yes-that was a band I was invited to join in the early 1990's...91' or 92' maybe. After their band Dope broke-up, Jefferson Parker & Christof Certik were writing songs and playing some music with Paul Hoaglin (later of The Mother Hips). I was working at Reckless Records on Haight with Jefferson, and we all kind of teamed up for a while- that was a fun group. We did Acoustic gigs as well as an Electric line-up. A lot of original songs, as well as cover numbers like "Big Black Smoke"/The Kinks, "Let There Be MoreLight"/Pink Floyd and "Full Circle Song"/Gene Clark...We played some SF gigs with Celebrity Skin/The Miracle Workers/The Mother Hips. I look back fondly on that band, and that time in San Francisco. We were having a pretty good time back then, and it was very cheap to live in SF!

PT: Describe the California Country sound of today.

DG: California Country sound of today...this is a loaded question! I am going to be cautious with this one. I don't really know if there is one. There are folks carrying that sound on for sure, that love that style of music and are dedicated to it. They are more associated with the L.A. Rockabilly scene (which is thriving and full of great bands & people)...Deke Dickerson is top of my list. Outstanding musician, historian and person. Big Sandy is the greatest. The Blasters are tough to beat. Dave Alvin is the king. James Intveld commands the bandstand like no other. 

PT: Tell us about your album "Turn and Fade".

DG: "Turn And Fade" is an album I cut a few years ago. It was recorded at my pal Shawn Nourse's studio in Highland Park area of L.A. My good friends Justin Smith, Jason Chesney & Rich Dembowski (Old Californio) are the band on it, supplemented with the mighty Chris Lawrence on Pedal Steel, Cindy Wasserman (Dead Rock West) vocals, and Debra Tala vocals & accordion. It was an album that I sat down and wrote one weekend, and pretty quickly went in and recorded. Kind of Dylan "Blonde On Blonde" style perhaps- where we never rehearsed the songs or played them live, just showed up and started playing them...I had sent some acoustic demos to the guys, but that's about it. It was a fun way to do an album.

PT: Who produced the album?

DG: I produced the album and wrote all the songs. Or the songs just kind of wrote themselves really...I finished the album in about one week.

PT: Tell us a Tom Guido story!

DG:  Tom Guido! Wow, haven't heard that name for a while. I don't have any wild stories or anything like that. I always really liked Tom and got along with him well. He was always very nice to me-and I loved hanging out at The Purple Onion when he owned it. I went there all the time! I do remember he had a 45's jukebox, and he had that excellent Strawberry Alarm Clock song in there "Sit With The Guru" that he would play repeatedly. He would also always run out of beer! Lots of alcohol participation in those days at The Purple Onion.

PT: Do you have any new projects in the works?

DG:  Current projects in DG headquarters...I am working up an all instrumental album currently, sitting on about 30 or so instrumental numbers I have been stockpiling. A bit Bluesy and almost experimental in places. I am looking forward to recording this material. And- I have my 'Lost' Nashville album with The Fabulous Superlatives that I will put out at some point soon...I recently also finished a new (our second) Neil Hamburger & The Country Winners album that will be out on Drag City Records in July- which came out great. Other than that, I just keep doing my thing- which is playing music in bars around L.A. area...Liquid Kitty, Cinema Bar, The Barkley etc. Come on out and see us sometime out there!