Reader Spotlight: David Hogeboom

Meet David Hogeboom, who started playing bass in high school before selling it as he left for college. But the bass wouldn’t be out of his life for good… each time he set it down, he ended up finding an opportunity to come back. David has two important jobs as far as I can tell – one is playing bass. The other is “trying to keep people from doing stupid things” – and helping them when that fails.

David is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of March 16, 2015.

Bio:

I began playing bass in high school. One friend played guitar, another played drums, and someone had a saxophone. Bass player? Uh… and so it began.

I played through high school in a garage band covering the Stones, The Who, Beatles, Kinks and any other band with songs that we could figure out and actually play with some proficiency. We changed the name of the band after each gig. Interesting idea, but a lousy way to build a following.

I sold the bass when I went to college. Providence led me to a campus ministry worship band that had a bass, but no bass player. Funny how that happened. I continued to pay through college and a little while afterward in bands riding the new wave of contemporary Christian music in the early ’80s. Then life got busy and I stopped playing.

Twenty-five years later, my church needed another bass player in the rotation. Funny how that happened. I’m grateful to be holding down the low end with some very good musicians at a multi-campus church in three communities just north of Charlotte, North Carolina and playing out with a friends at local venues when the opportunity comes up.

Location:

Davidson/North Carolina/USA

Day gig:

I work in risk management, trying to keep people from doing stupid things and helping them to clean up the mess when we can’t prevent them from doing stupid things.

Years experience:

On and off for almost 35 years.

Bands & Gigs:

I play two to four weekends each month with the worship band at my church, and every so often with local singer-songwriter Charlie King. We cut Charlie’s first EP two years ago and he has just released a second. Progressive folk, playing a mixture of electric and upright bass.

Gear:

• Ibanez SR1206 6-String
• Fender American Deluxe Jazz 5
• Ibanez SR305 (outfitted with Roland pickup)
• Sterling SB14 (defretted)
• Shen SB80
• Gallien Krueger MB500 and Neo 112-II

Why I play the bass:

In part, it was because everyone else wanted to play guitar or drums. Three artists solidified my desire to play bass – John Entwistle with his playing on Quadrophenia, Stanley Clarke with my first listen to School Days, and Abe Laboriel’s work on Keith Green’s Songs for the Shepherd.

My bass superpower/claim to fame

I love to play and lay down a foundation for songs that inspire and move people – whether it’s a soft passage or rockin’ the sanctuary. Playing (or not playing) in the right place can be like words of affirmation that bring joy to the heart and turn mourning into dancing.

My influences

John Entwistle, Stanley Clarke, Abe Laboriel, Adam Ben Ezra, Norm Stockton, Matthew Tennikoff, Edgar Meyer, Chris Wood, and so many more…

More on the web:

Charlie King’s first EP, I am Here