DAVE MCRAE – Multi-instrumentalist – Singer/Songwriter – Folkabilly –
Dave with poet Kyle Kahklen © Marshall E. Peterson Jr.
Bio: Dave has been performing in the Inland Empire since 1982. He plays solo with acoustic/electric guitar, harmonicas and dobro. He uses an electronic percussion/looping station that enables him to create the illusion of being a full band. Dave’s music draws from folk, rock, country, blues, and bluegrass and could be called “Americana”, although Dave prefers to call his particular blend of tunes “Folkabilly” music.
Talk to us a bit about community, about yourself as an artist, and about PorchFest, please…
I live in West Central at 2332 W. Sinto. My wife, Louise Chadez, and I have happily lived here since 1987. My kids went to Holmes Elementary School K-6, and have thrived ever since. We’ve loved it here.
Community is people living together, rather than just side by side in houses. It’s shovelling infirm neighbors’ snow… it’s jumping cars with dead batteries for the folks across the alley… it’s being aware of who lives around you and who passes through… it’s sharing home-grown produce.. it’s playing music out on porches – I like the dobro for that. It’s so much that I’ve said enough…
I used to do more, when my kids went through Holmes – their little reader board was one of my projects a couple of decades ago… we still host the annual Block Watch Night Out in our yard… I still play my instruments on the porch… I still even try to shovel the whole block when it snows – it’s not so easy any more, but I still git’er! It’s an attitude – I’m proud to live in West Central.
I just want to play a good set of original, electric device-enhanced acoustic tunes for some folks in the neighborhood. I see I have a number of pickin’ pals already involved, and porch-pickin’ with pals is perfect!
People should come for the pure pleasure of meeting pleasant neighbors, making new friends and enjoy, while the porch-pickin’ pals and the poets pick on the porches and present their poetry.