Actually I’m not…Um maybe I should back up…

Hi everyone! I’m releasing a EP! Whoohoo! I know,I feel like the boy who cried wolf. I have been talking about this for a few years but its really happening.The music is mixed and mastered. The art work  is being worked.

Ok back to the begging. You must have seen a few of those kickstarter things where musicians ask you to pay for their projects. You know,donate money and you will get some kind of perk,a signed album,T-shirt etc. Well,thats one reason this project took so long. I really struggled with this idea. After all no one asked me to make music. I finally let go and funded it myself,hoping to recoup with album sales and CD release party. This is not any kind of slight to my friends who have done these campaigns. This is about my own comfort level with this idea. I am not saying I will never do it but not with this particular project. So I am putting up the money myself for this one. I am really curious as to your thoughts about this…Really…

Enough of that. On to some more news.

Me and Mae have entered the charts with a song I wrote with the talented Dan Swinimer “Only Live Once” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKsPBTKYT5Q . Go Me and Mae!!! Another tune I wrote with Lucy Leblanc and Mark Dolin has been making waves with a few publishers. We call our songwriting team “The Shakers”. Polished up a new tune with my friend Matt Cairns at the brand new Socan writing room. Great song and a great guy! Thanks to Barbara Sedun and all the staff at Socan! I also wrote a fun tune this month with BCCMA producer of the year Jeff Johnson. Jeff is super talented and a real fun guy to write with. He’s written and produced a ton of acts including George Canyon, Wes Mac, Madeline Merlo and the new Chris Buck video a fun catchy tune!. Im also enjoying writing with my friend from England, Mathew Pownall. We have a old school Country song in the works.So much fun! I’ve also got cool tunes in the works with my buddies Thomas Greco and Dennis Keith Lambert.

Well, I’ve bent your ear long enough. I’ll try to blog in the next few weeks with details of a CD release party and a brand new project!

God Bless,
Davey D.

Hey friends I have a story to tell you, bear with me, it ends well.

A few years back I decided that besides writing and recording for myself, I would write songs for other people to sing.
So I started to learn about writing and co-writing from a local artist, Rick Tippe and of course my buddy Dan Swinimer. I wrote a few tunes that were ok I thought. Shucks, even the record company heard them and thought they were pretty good!
Right about then my wife bought me a trip to Nashville for my birthday. Well that was cool! I planned it around the Canucks playing in Nashville and would go to a songwriting workshop. I also would visit NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) and have a mentoring session with a fellow who had hit songs. Sounds awesome!….Not to mention a tour around Nashville with a seasoned writer.

I made my plans and flew into Nashville. Via Bellingham, Seattle and Chicago. A long day and 4 airports later, I arriver at Doak Turners house, who was putting me up for the next week.

Well , at Doaks the place was packed with at least 50 other songwriters! He hosted a gathering once a month for people new to Nashville and I had arrived at the tail end of the party. I met some cool people but was really exhausted.  Doak was a gracious host and showed me to my room. As he turned to go he said very nonchalantly “Oh by the way Keith Urban used to stay in this room”…..Ummm okay then…

The next morning Doak gave me a bit of a rundown on Nashville and told me to be careful of certain parts of town,of which I duly noted.I went to the NSAI office, who were very welcoming and toured around and saw some sights. That night I went and stood in line to see the Time Jumpers, Vince Gill’s band. Great show and fabulous musicians. The Next night I went to see the Canucks play the Predators and who was there wondering around the concourse? Vince! I told him I had seen his show and he thanked me for coming. Really cool unassuming guy. A great memory.

Well that’s the end of the fun part of the story for now. Again bear with me….

My first appointment was at NSAI for a mentoring session. Nice enough fella, he had some hits years back and used to back up Marty Robbins. He told me my songs were average at best and that I needed to do some work on the songs….Ok I can take criticism, or so I thought. I walked out of there trying to be positive but I am a sensitive person, and I was disappointed.

Next up the songwriting workshop with 30 other songwriting hopefuls. Three days of listening to songs and reading lyrics. Listening to publishers talk about what they want in a song.
My turn was close to last,and by this time people were pretty burned out on listening and the leader of the workshop was obviously tired.They heard my songs and basically dismissed them as less than average and pointed out some silly things like “Oh the prechorus never repeats itself” or “You cant use the word cassette in a song that’s too old school”…They were tired I get that, but I was disappointed. I did get to meet some cool people there and still follow some of them years later on social media.

I headed back home with my tail between my legs. Nashville will do that to you. I’ve heard the stories.

I was bummed. I couldn’t write anymore….I hardly wrote anything. My confidence was shattered. I visited my buddy Dan Swinimer and he said “Davey its like you have forgotten how awesome you are”. He was right. It took more than a year to get over that beating that I took in Nashville.

I am not naming names because its not the fault of those people. They were right about one thing. I needed to develop a thicker skin….And I did!
I started writing a lot of songs and if someone didn’t like that one song, that’s ok I’ve got ten more!I started to write from the soul. Songs about my kids and relatives and things dear to me. I got better at writing melodies and lyrics. I studied hit songs to see why people liked them so much. I co-wrote…a lot.

So to sum this up. You know those songs that weren’t good enough? You know “Less than average” Well one of those songs won me the BC Musicians magazine songwriting contest. Another won me a spot as a up and coming songwriter at the CCMA’s.I got to play at the songwriters café with other hit writers. They paid me to go! As you know I just released my song/video for “Forgive and Forget” to rave reviews. Strangers are asking me where they can get the song!

And now my big news. Well its big for me. When we write songs for others we are all looking for a “cut”. That is someone recording your song. Better yet it gets put on the album. And best-case scenario you get a cut and it is released as a single.
Well I am humbled and grateful to inform you my friends, that a song that I wrote with my bud Dan Swinimer is being released as a single this Thursday .The band is “Me and Mae” and the song is “Only live once”  YES!YES!YES! Thank the good Lord for that.

Oh and for the record I heard the word “Cassette” on the country station, and yes you can use a prechorus over if you want! …Nananana!!!

There you have it. Stick with your dreams my friends, and learn to enjoy the ride.
Davey D

Friends and family this may be a long post so bear with me. Most of you know I am in the process of putting out an EP. Well, I have hummed and hawed about doing a digital release or a physical CD, and have decided to do a CD.The problem has become what should I call this thing? What about the CD artwork?…I had never really put any thought into it….Hmmm

So I let it percolate for about a week. Then I started getting some mixes of the new material from the awesome Dan Swinimer. The track that is sticking out is called “Rollie Coombe”. First time I heard it I bawled like a baby…Hmm….This has to be the title of the new album!

Now a little about my Uncle Rowland “Rollie Coombe”. He was a hard working guy from a family of 16 kids, born in Prince Albert Saskatchewan. He moved to BC as a young man, was married briefly and then stayed a bachelor the rest of his life.

Here he is on his Wedding Day

Uncle Rowland was an important guy in our family. He was the Uncle that took us to the PNE. He bought my brother and I bicycles. We used to have sleepovers at his place. His hair was always an army styled brush cut and He said funny things like” I don’t chew my cabbage twice” or “He’s got more money than Cater has pills”. Maybe you had an Uncle or family friend like that.

But Uncle Rowland had some problems. He was an Alcoholic, and most likely had some other form of mental illness. This was the 60’s and 70’s, and we didn’t really talk about those kinds of things, and to us kids this was “normal”. We didn’t know any better.

As the years rolled by and the 70’s turned to the 80’s , old Uncle Rollie couldn’t hold it together anymore. The drinking combined with his other issues piled up and he became homeless. We used to see him on the streets of New West once in a while, hanging out in front of the liquor store, looking for a drink. His brush cut had turned into long hair and a beard. He was too proud to beg but his buddies sure did.

This was years ago and my recollections are kind of foggy but one year I think around Christmas 1983 we found him on the streets. My brother Dan brought him home gave him a bath and we found him a suit at the Salvation Army. Interesting side note, some kind soul had slipped $10.00 in the pocket of the suit! Anyhow, we got him cleaned up, but he disappeared on us, and we never saw him again.

On February 1^st 1984 my Uncle Rowland was found dead in a stairwell of a parking lot in New West. I’ve got a copy of the death certificate. It says;

D.O.A. Royal Columbian Hospital.

Immediate cause of death;

Left subdural hematoma, due to or a consequence of; Herniation left uncus.

Accident or Violence?

“Subject found dead on stairwell in parking lot still under investigation by Coroners office”….Hmmm…

Here is a quote from Google “Subdural hematoma is usually caused by a head injury, such as from a fall, motor vehicle collision, or an assault. The sudden blow to the head tears blood vessels that run along the surface of the brain. This is referred to as an acute subdural hematoma”.

So the question is did my Uncle fall or was there an assault? Do I dredge this up and look into it? What about the rest of the family? Do I want these folks to have to deal with an old wound like this? What about justice? Should I contact the Corner and get to the bottom of this? It certainly wont change things or bring him back…..I will leave those questions alone for now and seek counsel from others.

There you have it. My new album will be named after and dedicated to my Uncle, Rowland James Edward Coombe.There were no children, no significant other, and no gravestone marker of any sort. We threw his ashes in the Fraser River, right where the New West Quay now stands, as per his request….God Bless you Uncle, it’s the least I could do.

Like the song says,” Some people check out too soon, and I miss you Rollie Coombe”.

Hey friends!!….So much to say….Where to start….Well on Canada Day I heard a local band play one of my songs I co-wrote in front of a few thousand people. That was a fun first….Apparently they are recording it and it will be a single!….So I will keep you posted on that.

My friends Dan Swinimer and JoJo Mason have their new single climbing up the charts and that has been fun to watch!…It was the most added song on Canadian Country Radio for a few weeks.Its all Good!

As for me I am still working on the “Artist way” book. Highly recommended, but not for the faint of heart. It helps you dig deep into becoming a artist that is true to yourself…I feel some changes coming on…Ask me about it if you see me…

I just got back yesterday from REO songwriting camp with Marty Dodson and Clay Mills, songwriters from Nashville. Both writers have had # 1 songs with Kenny Chesney and Darious Rucker and in Canada with Johnny Reed(Fire it up!). An awesome learning environment and these two guys have a lot to offer serious songwriters. We took classes on lyric writing and Melody writing and then put what we learned into practice with co-writes.

The best part of the weekend was the one on one mentoring and spending a few hours each night in the hot tub asking questions. How many songwriters would love an opportunity like that?…Pretty sure most serious Country writers would be chompin’ at the bit….I am very blessed indeed. I learned more about my strengths and weaknesses and what I should do next.

Now the cool part….Due to various circumstances I drove Marty and Clay back to Vancouver and they stayed overnight at my place. They wanted to see some sights of the city so I took them to Burnaby Mountain, then a drive down scenic marine drive in West Van to Whyte cliff Park….. And then the Boathouse on English Bay, where they bought me a fine meal. Then off to where else but Stanley Park. They were quite impressed with our fine city. I loved being a tour guide!…Just wished we had more time but we had to be up at 4 AM for the drive to the airport….The adventure continues!!

Summer is here in Vancity!…my exploits?…Hmm…Still plugging away with a dedicated bunch of writer on the “The Artists Way”.This book is helping us all get past our creative blocks and become more creative writers….Not for the faint of heart but well worth it!

Writing.Yup doing that…A song came out of me this week about a Alcoholic with cancer?…A fun summer time song you say….Well thats what came out,probably due to working on the artist way hmmm….it wont be played on the radio but may make an album.

Did some transatlantic writing via skype with my friend in England Mathew Pownall and regular writing partner,the awesome Lucy Leblanc.A sweet Rockabilly flavoured tune!

Saturday night I was asked to help host the jam at the Loft in Cloverdale.We had a blast and met a awesome country picker/fiddle player.I played bass for their set to a bunch of old-time fiddle tunes!

Sunday was “All Good”… My buddy Jojo Mason released his single “All Good” written by My friend Dan Swinimer and Canadian Country Star Tim Hicks.The show was at the Roxy in vancouver and Jojo did not disappoint.This guy is a rising star and it is fun to watch.Jojo is full of personality and you aint been huggedThe till you had a Jojo Hug!…Highlight of the night was JRFM was at the show and debuted the song live at the club! Watching Jojo face as his song was played on the radio for the first time was priceless!! Danny and Jojo left at 6 AM for a radio tour….Request this tune on your local country station!….I am writing this from the Heritage Grill in New West as I am waiting to play a set…..not sure what I will play…ant requests?

Time to get all Bloggity…

Hey folks a quick update on Davey’s world…I went into Manicdown Productions studio on Thursday and laid down the vocal track for my new single that is coming out this summer!!…Really excited about this track! My good buddy Mr. Dan Swinimer is doing his engineering/producer thing with the track and we are getting closer. This song is dear to my heart and I will share the story at another time closer to the release. Look for a video with this tune. If you are on my mailing list you will hear this song first!!…You can get on the mailing list here http://www.davestanleyband.com

Started a new song with my friends from the “Shakers” songwriting team of Lucy Leblanc, from White Rock and Mark Dolin from Phoenix. I enjoy writing with these folks and this one is shaping up nice and catchy….Check out this one we wrote a while back  www.soundcloud.com/markdolin/just-cant-shake-it…Ms. Lucy is busy shopping this tune around to publishers and artist’s. Hurray for Lucy!! She is one of my heroes and Mark is a fun, awesome melody guy and a talented multi-instrumentalist.

I am deeply involved in a course I am taking with some friends online called “The Artists Way”…basically about helping you become more creative by removing things that are blocking you. I am digging deep and some cool revelations are coming out. I highly recommend this book!

Several songs in the works with Mathew Pownal,Matt Cairns,The Heels,Thomas Greco,Keith Lambert and more that I am sure I am forgetting.

This Summer will be filled with adventures including songwriting retreats and a few festivals sprinkled in…Oh and another web based course I am developing…more on that as it comes….Cheers my friends, hope to see you on the road somewhere this summer and maybe we will sing a song or two…God Bless!!

Father its been a week since my last confession,yes I am writing again and a thousand hail Mary’s couldn’t stop me!

I Started my “The Artists way” book with some other writers today.Got up a little earlier than usual and wrote my “Morning pages”,which is three pages of whatever you want.Just free flow whatever,and don’t judge it. Took me half an hour.I wrote some cool stuff and I am looking forward to my progress.Someone mentioned you could just do 2 pages or 10 min. I think I will try to stick to the 30 min.It will be tough slogging ,but from what came out today,it will be worth the time.

On the performing front,I had a reunion of sorts with Nick Burnett from the old band.We played a set,including 1 original “Bobby Orr” at the Loft pub and as I write this I am at The Heritage Grill in New West at the open mic,jamming with some friends.

Today I wrote with Lucy Leblanc and Elias James for my morning session.A sweet song with a interesting hook.Digging deep on this song! In the afternoon I wrote with Matt Cairns.We did a lot of laughing and started sweet hooky summertime type tune.Looking forward to hearing how this one comes out.Good times!

Tomorrow writing with the The Heels an awesome vocal group.Really looking forward to it!Also writing with Lucy Leblanc again and Mark Dolin Followed by my friend in England,Mat Pownall. Looking forward to seeing how those tunes come out!

Ok lets see if I can tie this title together.

Writing.Oh yeah I do that!…I am excited to start a course on June 1st called “The Artists Way”.We will be digging deep together as a group and reconnecting with our inner Artists.Looking forward to the process and getting to know other writers in our group.I also stopped in to Manicdown productions this week to lay down the scratch track for a new song that I am hoping to release within a month.I am really excited about this song and its message! Mr Dan Swinimer is in the process of doing his production magic.I cant wait for you guys to hear it!

Weddings.Hmm…I attended my second wedding in a week on Sunday.The first one was for my jamming buddies Clinton and Suzy.What a wonderful wedding! It had a 1940’s theme and the entire venue was decked out in 40’s garb.Fun! The food was tremendous! Of course there was a stage set up with full backline and They asked me to get up and play a few tunes.I did “Wicked Game” “The one I love” and a few others.The wedding this weekend was for my cousin Rick and his beautiful bride Wan.It was held in a freshly painted red barn.

I tried to upload a pic but this app wouldn’t let me! ..boohoo! Anyhow it was a fantastic spot for a wedding and I am so happy for my Cousin!!

Now for the Whiskey.I was at the notorious Roxy nightclub in Vancouver to Watch some friends perform,and yes the whiskey was flowing. First up were my new friends The Heels ….Awesome vocal harmonies from these girls and I am looking forward to writing with them! Go like their facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/theheelsmusic?fref=ts  .Next up was my friends Dan Swinimer and Jojo Mason.This team is Jojo on Vocals and Dan on Drums and songwriting/engineering/production.Jojo is an up and coming star.I love both these guys and they are going places.Catch Jojo at a show and you will see what I mean.They are releasing the first single to radio June 21st “It’s all good”…Love it, wishing you all the success in the world boys! Here is a pic of my brother Jojo Mason!! Twitter handle #Jojomasonmusic

Next up was the always stellar Rod Black.Rod put on a great show and has an awesome backing band.He played his singles “Keep on Keeping on” and “Long Gone”.Rod is worth seeing Live!  http://www.rodblackmusic.com/

Oh yeah for those that havent signed up for my email list for free tunes and exclusive preview of my new single….go do it! www.davestanleyband.com .

Plenty of co-writes and Jamming coming up for me but I will save that for another post….

Hey folks!…Its a beautiful spring time here in Vancity! I have been writing up a storm this spring with people from all over North America and England.

Starting off in York, I have been writing with my friend Mathew Pownal who recently moved  back to Britain.We have some pitch worthy songs on the go.Our song written with Lucy Leblanc “Slow”,started at REO Songwriting Camp last summer,was a given  an award as a “One to Watch” by the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI).

Now over here to the Colonies.Writing with Dennis Keith Lambert out of Knoxville Tennessee.A great writer and we have a good ol’ country tune cookin!

Over to Phoenix Arizona and Mark Anthony Dolin and again Miss Lucy Leblanc.We have one of the better songs I’ve been a part of this year and it will be pitched to Nashville Publishers shortly.Oh and the demo is killer!! Mark is a fine writer and musician and we will be working together again shortly.

Now Locally.First up Miss Lucy Leblanc.Lucy is a real treasure to the writing community.She is the glue that holds a writing session together.I have several great songs in various stages of completeness with Lucy and other writers.She is always going to Nashville and developing relationships with Music industry folk.I Love Lucy!!

Almost forgot out of Calgary Mr.Troy Kokol. A prolific and talented writer with top 40 credits to his name.We have a cool chorus on the go and will develop that with an artist that he is working with.Troy is a humble and gifted writer!

Other local writers I have been working with this spring include the awesome Elias James and Thomas Greco.Some cool songs in the works with these great writers and musicians.Also wrote with a new friend Andy Warren at the YVR Songshop. A great experience and a Rocking tune!…Also my good friend Writer/Recording wiz Michael Holland.A fantastic production on a latin tune that was a whole lot of fun.Michael has a blog on recording http://www.wigglytoesmusic.com An awesome resource!!

Now the Man.My friend,Co-writer and Producer,Mr Dan Swinimer . Dan is the man who brought my first album to life a few years back.Songs like “Bobby Orr” and “Dont go Downtown” Lights out” and my personal favourite “Sour in the belly” would not have happened without Danny Boy!!…I will be hitting Dans Studio,Manicdown Productions, again this week to keep plugging away at my EP…Good things take time…  Thank you all for your support, and I cant wait for you to hear some of these killer tunes we have been working on!!  God Bless.

Under the wire!!!   Written by Lucy Leblanc Dave Daoust

Limosine

2 am the cabs are all taken

The music from the club is still reverberatin’

Isn’t that Megan Fox there waiting

No I must be mistaken.

You’re with your friends, I’m with mine

A stretch pulls up just in time

One ‘C’ note will get us a ride

That’s when we locked eyes

Chorus:

You and me

In this limousine

Riding high

Watching stars go by

Neither of us know

Where this will go

What a way to say hello

In the back of a limo

Standing up through the sunroof

Scream out loud it’s how we do

I’ll take one, then I’ll take two

I wanna get closer to you

You’re with your friends, I’m with mine

In this limo looking so (mighty) fine

Giving me the go ahead sign

Cruising (rolling) with you, I’m on cloud nine

Chorus:

You and me

In this limousine

Riding high

Watching stars go by

Neither of us know

Where this will go

What a way to say hello

In the back of a limo