Today we’d like to introduce you to David Beck.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in a musical family. My father is the long-time bass player for Robert Earl Keen, so I was surrounded by music and shows from an early age. I followed his path and began playing music professionally at age 18 with a country artist named Rodney Hayden (from Pleasanton, TX) In tandem with the live performances, I was cutting my teeth as a recording engineer / producer. The first recordings I made were on a little Boss digital four track recorder, in high school we got Pro Tools and by college I was recording my friends bands. I continued to tour, with my own bands this time, Sons of Fathers, Blue Healer and eventually Tejano Weekend. Whenever I was home I was recording. This never stopped. Eventually I was working with friends of friends bands, then cold calls. Its been a very long and slow process (which I am thankful for) and a slow growth I pray is endless. I am currently producing full time out of a studio in Martindale, TX. It is a funky old 1940’s house that sounds really great. We’ve made lots of great recordings there. Here’s a list of some of the folks Ive cut in the house.
The Droptines
Los Juanos
Bo Staloch
Georgia Parker
Garrett T. Capps
Kendall Potesta
Shinyribs
Bartly
Susto
Cameron Allbright
Hank Weaver
Faith Tucker
James Steinle
David Pugh
Electric GOld
Sam Hodgson
Ryan Quiet
Caroline Parker
Zach Blue
Landon Miller
Marshall Anderson
Matt Kirk
Betty Benedeadly
Tanner Menegay
The Ditch Crickets
Sons of Fathers
Blue Healer
Tejano Weekend
Sarah Millenary
Night Cap
Jade Patek
Joe Martyn Ricke
Rodney Hayden
The Attached Outsiders
Humble House
Slade Coulter
Vanna Black
Carson Jeffrey
and more…
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Any occupation related to the arts is a shaky adventure. There is no clear ladder to climb, no one there to hand you a certificate for passing a course and moving onto the next level. You have to be your own regulator, that can be tricky. It’s hard to take time off and not feel guilty. It’s easy to work yourself into a cold. The road could be really hard at times, I learned what my values were and how to stick to them. Ultimately, these are all wonderful lessons to learn in life, however they come about. Without the struggles there would be no growth.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a musician and record producer. I write and perform songs of my own as well as help other artists in through the recording process. I have a studio in Martindale, Texas where I track bands. I have a buddy Dees Stribling who plays drums and helps organize the operation. Together we have played on hundreds of tracks. Having that much time between drums and bass is huge. We can communicate fairly non verbally and knock things out at a quick clip. That relationship is what I’m most proud of. Together, we have helped so many folks have a positive time in the studio (which can be very scary and stressful).
How do you define success?
Numbers, numbers, numbers! Just kidding. There isn’t one thing that makes it whole (and I’m not sure there ever is). A positive for me is achieving an average living wage in the arts, however that happens. It’s a wild landscape with no regulation, if you can figure out how to make that work in your life its a good thing. Music has introduced me to all of my best friends, that is a good thing. It has laid the framework for growth, for failure and re-birth, those are all good things. When I wake up, I am excited to make the drive out to that old funky house, power up the rig and get to work. I blink, and twelve hours have gone by. I look up, I’ve made a new friend and helped to add something to river of art in Texas. All good things.
Pricing:
- Email Paradegroundmusic@gmail.com for a quote.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.davidbeckdavidbeck.com
- Instagram: @davidbecksworld
