David Rodriguez

David Rodriguez (nato l'1 gennaio 1952) è un cantautore di musica folcloristica, attore e poeta statunitense.

David Roland Rodriguez nacque a Houston, in Texas, e crebbe qui. Le radici dei genitori di David erano in Messico: la zia più anziana di David, Eva Garza, era una cantante per la Decca Records durante gli anni cinquanta. All'età di due anni, contrasse la polio e da allora Rodriguez cammina con una stampella a causa di una frattura alla gamba. Vista la sua scarsa capacità di muoversi, i genitori gli comprarono una chitarra. A quattordici anni David suonava in una rock band, un anno dopo in un gruppo folk: dalla fine dell'adolescenza, invece suonava come pianista in un gruppo.

Tra i tanti gruppi che lo hanno influenzato si contano i Lightin' Hopkins, Townes Van Zandt, Lydia Mendoza e Jerry Jeff Walker. Verso i venti anni, David si laureò in economia e legge all'università di Austin, in Texas, dove ora risiede e dove si dedicò alla musica per i dieci anni a seguire.

Nel '92, '93 e '94 è stato votato dalla giuria di Austin come il "miglior cantautore del Texas" dalla rivista Third Coast Music.

David Rodriguez ha deciso di trasferirsi in Olanda nel 1994 e continua a vivere lì. Per qualche concerto, è stato accompagnato dalla figlia, Carrie Rodriguez, sul palco.

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On stage in Paradiso, Amsterdam, May 2003, Lucinda Williams told the audience, whom David was seated amongst: “I feel like I’m in the presence of genius because my friend David is here. Do you know him?”

Burch Hancock added, “David Rodriguez, a detour well worth the trouble”. His work is compared with that of Townes van Zandt and Bob Dylan.

“David Rodriguez is the most engaging voice of our time” said Peg Miller from Chicago House Theatre in Austin, Texas.

Today, the judgement of those observers has not changed. David Rodriguez remains highly praised by the insiders. Ad van Meurs from the Watchman called David in a recent interview, “the best still-living singer/songwriter” Lyle Lovett paid him the highest compliment any songwriter can pay another, by recording his own version of ‘Ballad Of The Snow Leopard And The Tanqueray Cowboy’ for inclusion on his award winning double CD, Step Inside This House, a tribute to his fellow Texan songwriters. The song was also included in the soundtrack of the Disney movie – Mumford.
Further recent covers of David’s compositions are:
‘Two Lane Blacktop’ by Vince Bell on his CD, Live In Texas.
‘Midnight Flight’ co- written with Jeff Talmadge on Jeff’s CD, Blissville.
‘Santa Cruz’ by Jerry Giddens on his just completed CD.

Besides his writing and recording, David has always been a live performer, and loves nothing better than singing his songs to a live audience, which has taken him from his base in Texas to the rest of the world. He has even been known to lay down his hat upon the sidewalk and knock out a few tunes on his accordion. “A musician never dies of hunger” is his ironic comment. However, people who know his music, appreciate him best when he performs his own work.

On some concerts, he has been accompanied by his daughter, Carrie Rodriguez on fiddle, of whom he is immensely proud of, not only as a daughter, but also as a very talented musician and vocalist in her own right. She is currently flying the Rodriguez family flag, with highly successful duet albums made with another songwriting legend, Chip Taylor.

David was born on 1st January 1952 in Houston, Texas. His father came from a Mexican immigrant family, and his mother’s older sister was under contract with Decca records in the 50’s, as the South American Singer, Eva Garza. When he was two years old, he was struck down with polio, and since then, he has walked with a leg brace and walking cane. Because he couldn’t play in the street like other children, his parents bought him a guitar. When he was fourteen he played in a rock band, at fifteen in a folk group, and at nineteen in an avant-garde ensemble as a pianist in the conservatorium.

As a political activist, he helped change the destiny of street-poor Mexican immigrants in Texas. After his legal studies were finished, he continued as a lawyer for them and his fellow artists and musicians. The time came when he finally had to make a choice between being a political figure or making music his life. Although the latter won the day, his political comments can still be heard through some of his songs.

In 1992,’93 and ’94, he was voted in an Austin poll, the best Texas songwriter by the music magazine, Third Coast Music.

In the United States, David recorded several CD’s, including the beautiful Forgiveness. In Holland, where he now resides, he came under the guidance of Ad van Meurs and recorded the Proud Heart album in Eindhoven. Recently he completed the recording of a new album, produced by Dutch singer/songwriter J W Roy, entitled Lonesome Drover which is just about to be released.

David has always refused to submit himself to any concession of commercialism. Like a good cognac, David’s work remains for the connoisseur, something to sample, something to listen to closely.

The works of David Rodriguez are published and administered for the world by Peter Mason Music Ltd / Carlin Music Corporation.

http://www.davidrodriguez.nl