Dave Simmons started in music at the age of 4 beating on pots and pans in the kitchen floor. His parents bought a drum set for him soon after and he began taking lessons. Roughly a year went by when his Mother, who was an organist in church, got him interested in piano and organ.At age 5 1/2 he was taking organ lessons and by age 6 giving his first stage performances in church. This lasted a couple years when Dave began to tire of the songs taught at lessons and he wanted to learn songs he was hearing on the radio.Dave would tag along with his Dad who would visit a book store/pawn shop owner friend of his on Saturdays. There an 8 year old Simmons found a guitar in the corner and began doodling around on it. His Dad, also a guitarist, was surprised at the interest and the notes he heard coming from this guitar. That used Checkmate guitar was under the tree the very next Christmas.Simmons, a self taught guitarist, began learning licks by listening to records and playing them repeatedly until he matched what he heard. Copying groups like Rush, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Kansas, Boston, and Heart his chops became finely tuned and he started writing his own songs by age 12.By the time Dave turned 18 he had already formed his first band called O'RYAN and was performing in small clubs in the four state region of KY, IL, MO, and TN. By age 22 O'RYAN had disbanded, but Simmons' music career was far from done. Literally 2 weeks after his first band broke up he was onstage in Indianapolis, IN. with the national touring act called Gun Runner.Dave toured with Gun Runner doing shows on a hotel circuit of Ramada and Holiday Inn lounges, major rock clubs, universities and state fairs. They played top 40 rock covers and original material. Simmons co-wrote "Wild Cat" and "Midnight Thunder" before leaving Gun Runner in October 1986.Simmons left the road and started a family. Still performing on stage occasionally with area bands, open mic nights and showcases, he continues to write and record in his home project studio. Pitching songs to several Nashville publishers, he also produces and engineers recordings with partner Chuck Carter at SimCar Productions, Paducah, Ky.Listen here for new music from Dave Simmons as well as performances at Bluebird Cafe and other hot spots in Nashville, Tn. Please leave a comment and let him know you were here. Thanks for visiting.
