Dave Manning
Biography
Dave is touring Western North America in his 1965 VW Microbus. And yes, he is looking for VW parts. Dave Manning has songs to sing and stories to tell from his years on the road. Dave is gearing up to be the next folk legend right behind the likes of Ramblin’ Jack, Guy Clark, and of course Arlo Guthrie (who autographed his microbus.)
Dave is a two-time finalist in the Alaska Song of the Year Contest in the “Alaska Songs” category. He also received an honorable mention in the 2001 Anchorage Press “Picks” for his excellent songwriting. The Anchorage Press called his CD “a treat from beginning to end.” He has opened for the likes of: James Mathus (front man for the Squirrel Nut Zippers), Dan Bern, and Jazz piano legend Mose Allison. Dave’s music gets radio airplay from Alaska to Arizona and points inbetween. He’s even played inside Folsom Prison.
Dave tours in “Vincent” his ’65 Microbus. In a time where the traveling storyteller and songwriter has long been replaced by television and Karaoke, Dave is still out there with the last of them. Cruising at a lazy 50mph and playing in a different town every few days, Dave isn’t afraid of “paying his dues.”
In a plastic world; we still have Dave Manning.
Albums
“Mobile Home Girl” showcases his quality songs (and his interest in trashy women). The album also has depth and dimension way beyond the trailer park. The album is really a collection of stories from London to North Carolina, and Nebraska to Alaska. Dave’s previous job as a documentary videographer for Heartbeat Alaska; a show specializing in bush Alaska, allowed him into the lives of amazing people from all over the North. You may have seen his work on PBS, ABC, CBS, FOX and the Discovery Channel. The people and places he sees first hand ring out in his songs, (sometimes they don’t tell you the whole story on TV.)
Dave’s voice is most often compared to Tom Waits, and his style on the piano varies widely from soulful ballads to blues, country to boogie-woogie. He always brings along his fist-full of blues harmonicas that round out his sound. His set list for live shows includes a cornucopia of great tunes from artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, T-Bone Walker, Woody Guthrie, John Prine and Johnny Cash. He is also an award-winning published poet…and with a little prompting may do a few numbers without the piano at his shows.
Reviews
“Provocative stories of Love, Life and the pursuit....
Better than Greg Brown.”
KVMR Radio, Nevada City, CA
“Anchorage has its own Tom Waits!”
The Anchorage Press
“Dave keeps your interest with soul-filled licks, and kisses you
good-night and breaks up with you at the same time.”
KBGA Radio, Missoula, MT
“Dave’s music gives you the feeling of being in a smoky bar sometime
before the sun goes down.”
The Anchorage Daily News
“Like a Bob Seeger that tells stories…”
Gary Rafinelli; Reno Piano Guru
“Like Joe Cocker, Bob Seeger, and who’s that other guy?...Oh yea,
Tom Waits!”
Sound Guy at Summerfest; Port Angeles, WA
“Dave Kicks Tom Wait’s *%$#@ ass!”
“Merlin” Producer of Idle Hands: Live music television; Santa Cruz, CA
