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DAVID HB DRAKE has been called "a gentle troubadour" and "elemental
folksinger". His music is inspired by his voyages across Midwestern prairies and the
waters of the Great Lakes. He has performed for more than twenty-five years in a wide
variety of art forms for all ages. David was named "Folk / Acoustic Music
Artist of the Year 2002" and "Family Performer of the
Year 2001" by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry
and the 2001 Arts Wisconsin Community Arts Development Award for service to the arts.
The Folk Alliance Region Midwest presented the "Lantern Bearer" Life
Achievement Award in 2003 and his KIDSTUFF album received a "Parents'
Choice" award for outstanding children's music.
A native of Milwaukee WI, David has written more than 200 songs of the Midwest. They are
frequently heard on Wisconsin Public Radio's "Simply Folk", Higher Ground",
and on public radio networks across the nation including New York
radio's "Woody's Children", the nationally syndicated "Sing-Out
Songbag" and as far away as Holland. His songs appear on the albums of several Midwestern folksingers. In addition to his own music, David has a vast
storehouse of songs at his fingertips. David's eclectic repertoire includes sea shanties
and songs of the Seven Seas and Great Lakes, Irish ballads, children's and family songs,
environmental music, vintage tunes, novelty songs, traditional folk music and
folk classics from the "sixties".
David is a regular performer at regional folk festivals, Irish Fest, Summerfest, Wisconsin
State Fair, Old World Wisconsin, coffeehouses, colleges, community centers, libraries, and
nature centers throughout the Midwest. He is also a frequent visitor to schools and elder
care centers, where his WISCON-SING show, an official Wisconsin Sesquicentennial™
event, takes a musical walk through Wisconsin's history. David's
HEARTLAND
program presents the history of our neighbors "south of the border" in
Illinois. David is frequently seen performing benefits for a wide spectrum of
social causes including the "Living Activism" series raising funds for
Native American food pantries, the "AIDS Walk", the WAMI children's
music education effort, for Pier Wisconsin
environmental education events, and
for "Peace Action" events promoting social justice and world peace.
David is a song leader for the
Congregation of the Great Spirit, a Milwaukee Native-American
Catholic church.
David has been a professional dancer with Betty Salamun's
DANCECIRCUS and the Milwaukee
Ballet, actor, troubadour and swordsman with the "Ring of Steel" theatrical
combat troupe, stage lighting designer, and minstrel. David has performed as part of
Wisconsin's Heritage Ensemble. He has toured with "The Rose and Dragon"
and "Sailors Three", performing sea-shanties and waterfront songs,
"Sweet Survivor", a
duo specializing in Christmas songs, and "Dangerous Folk" presenting
the classic folk music of the 60's. He is frequently seen at
Milwaukee's Irish Fest as the
roving Irish Minstrel, "Carrie O'Tunne" and Pirate Festivals as
"Graybeard". Living his dream, David served as
shanty man on the movie tall ship "HMS Bounty". David has been both
performer and crewman alongside Pete Seeger aboard the
environmental ship "Clearwater". He currently serves as musical
spokesman and music artist-in-residence / historian for the Wisconsin
flagship "Denis Sullivan"
and Pier Wisconsin
Maritime Center. |
