Reader Spotlight: David Ferguson Jr.
Meet David Ferguson Jr., a musician who spends his day doing “Music, music and more music.”
David shares a lot of great stories, but I think my favorite by far is his response to the “superpower” question. Read on and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
David is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of November 25, 2013.
Bio:
I am a 32 year old husband and father of one. I started playing music at about 15 years old and have been in love with it ever since. Originally from Chicago, IL where I lived the first 23 years of life. I have lived in a handful of places in the US, but now reside in Nashville, TN where I came to pursue music and be closer to family. On top of music I am also into doing tech work on guitars and basses for myself, band mates and others. I also am into comics, cartoons, films from around the world, vintage cars and disc golf.
Location:
Nashville, TN USA
Day gig:
Music, music and more music.
Years experience:
1 year
Bands & Gigs:
I play bass in a Blues/Rock Trio based out of Nashville, TN called The Leah Marie King Band.
It is fronted by Canadian guitar slinger Leah Marie King, Me on bass and The Rev. Zack Reynolds on drums. 90% of what we do are originals with some covers thrown in here and there to pay homage to our musical heroes.
At the moment we are #1 on the Nashville Blues/Rock Charts and are gearing up for some good tours and having some singles recorded in the studio.
We are gigging at the moment a couple of times a week and we also host an open mic jam in Springfield, Tn. We enjoy getting musicians together and creating live music. We also think it is important to give new players a place to come stretch their legs and get some experience.
Gear:
- Mid 70s-style Fender MiM Jazz Bass Reissue (with some mods)
- Hartke LH500 Head
- BBE 482i Sonic Maximizer
- Ashdown ABM 4×10 Cab
Why I play the bass:
After playing guitar for many years (about 15) I had been searching for another “voice” and way to express myself creatively and musically.
I was at a jam here in Nashville playing guitar and met Leah Marie King. She is the front-man (well in this case woman) of the band I play bass in. Her and I hit it off musically right away and she told me she was reforming her 3 piece Blues/Rock trio and was wondering if I would be interested in playing bass. I felt like that would be a great time to find that new “voice” I was looking for and told her I would.
It was like the bass was just made for me. All the things I struggled with over the years on guitar, technique wise I just seemed to pick right up on with the bass and I feel in love with the bass right from the start.
It has been an awesome time since. I have discovered many new styles of music and the bass has helped teach me many new things about music, timing and working together as a unit in a band.
In short the bass has made me great friends, helped me with music and gave me some great memories.
Thank you bass…. I am forever in your debt.
My bass superpower/claim to fame
First and foremost my superpower comes from my Lava Lamp that is put on the top of my rig at gigs…
Or maybe it is the fact that I only get dressed up for gigs and the rest of my time I am a t-shirt and jeans kind of guy…
Or that I can defuse our drummer with random silliness when I upset him because I am rushing (or is it that he is dragging). All jokes of course… Or are they?
On a real note I just love everything about music. There is nothing that makes me feel as good as playing and creating music in my own time and as a group. It also feels really good to put music together and then go out and share it with other musicians, friends, family, music lovers and fans.
I feel blessed everyday I am able to still do it.
My influences
I have many of them. But I will name who I feel has been the most important.
Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson. I mentioned these three guys first because they are why I got into music. I am not only influenced by them as guitar players. I am influenced by their bands as well. Double Trouble behind SRV is just an incredible band. So were Mitch, Noel and even Billy and Buddy behind Hendrix. Eric Johnson has also played with some incredible bassists and drummers over the years.
As far as bass players I am influenced by Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Tommy Shannon, Pino Palladino, James Jamerson, Will Lee, Jaco Pastorius, Esperanza Spalding.
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