David Courtenay profile picture

David Courtenay

Say the word and you'll be free

About Me


"His songs are beautifully crafted contemporary pop that reveal layers of classic influences" -The Santa Barbara Independent
“Jazzy hues and a pop groove that could be the reincarnation of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Mr. Courtenay is a legend in the making.” -Buzzine Entertainment Magazine
“Across the board, David Courtenay’s music has a message of simple reflection and a universal appeal. It’s more than just good music.” -Urban Mainstream Magazine
My earliest memory of music is listening to the Beach Boys' "Endless Summer" over and over again at the age of 2. Those amazing harmonies and beautiful songs filled my young mind with amazing sensations and visions. I was hooked. The spirit had possessed me. I come from a very musical family, and grew up listening to all sorts of good music from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. My roots are definitely planted in vintage rock, and I endeavor to write songs with clever and interesting melodies that can stand on their own, with or without amazing production. After earning a B.F.A. in Acting from UC Santa Barbara and passing on an opportunity to go to grad school at the National Theatre Conservatory, I moved to Los Angeles. I spent several years there playing regularly restaurants and clubs as a solo act, and eventually put together a four-piece band. We played all around Southern California, and with them I recorded my debut, full-length album "Eloquent Cool"(Copies are available at www.cdbaby.com/davidcourtenay, and downloads are available on itunes). After checking out the L.A. scene, I decided it was time to move on to a different city with a more vibrant music scene, so I headed to Chicago. Here I've assembled a new original band with some great Chicago musicians called Modern Conversation. I've also been having a blast playing the role of John Lennon in a Beatles tribute band called BritBeat, playing festivals all over the Midwest and East Coast. If you enjoy the music, spread the word, but most importantly, spread the love baby!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 4/27/2005
Band Website: musicdavid.com
Band Members:

David Courtenay: Vocals, Piano, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards -- Fran McConville Jr.: Lead Guitar -- Jason Mracky: Drums -- Casey Guldberg: Bass Guitar. Musicians recorded on "Eloquent Cool" album: Fran McConville Jr., Lead Guitar ; John Stevenson, Drums ; Jimmy Shibata, Bass Guitar.
Influences: The Beatles, Paul Simon, The Doors, Cat Stevens, Queen, The Kinks, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Bob Marley, CCR, The Clash, Bobby Darin, Martin Sexton, The Shins, Andrew Bird, Jack Johnson, Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, 10cc, Marvin Gaye, John Williams, Hendrix, David Bowie, Willie Nelson, Wilco, Patsy Cline, Radiohead, Roy Orbison, Coldplay, Richie Valens, U2, Billy Joel, Elton John, The Band, The Grateful Dead, The Everly Brothers, Rogers and Hammerstein, and of course, John Denver.
Sounds Like: Blue whales mating.
Type of Label: None

My Blog

SONGS FROM THE ALBUM NOW ON ITUNES!!!

For the first time ever, songs from the new album Eloquent Cool are available to download at itunes! The link to go to my itunes store is: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum? p...
Posted by David Courtenay on Sat, 08 Sep 2007 02:52:00 PST

NEW ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE AT CDBABY.COM!!!

Hello my friends!I'm very excited to announce that my debut, full-length album Eloquent Cool is fresh off the factory line and available for purchase! Just go to www.cdbaby.com/davidcourtenay to get y...
Posted by David Courtenay on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:44:00 PST

"ELOQUENT COOL" TO BE HEARD IN THE MOVIE "DARK HONEYMOON"!

I just received the great news that my song "Eloquent Cool" will be heard in the upcoming feature film "Dark Honeymoon". The movie is a thriller that stars that beautiful mermaid Daryl Hannah, Tia Car...
Posted by David Courtenay on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:42:00 PST