Today we’d like to introduce you to David Bluefield
Hi David, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Go to davidbluefield.com/about-me/ scroll down to MEET DAVE BLUEFIELD – my mom bought a piano – I lucked out with a great teacher who taught me chords and improvisation – was in bands from Fairfax High to U.C.L.A. – and my band KINDRED was discovered by Joe Sutton (Neil Diamond’s mgr) who, in turn knew Joe Smith (pres of Warner Bros) we got us signed the same week as Doobie Bros and Black Sabbath, and we had 2 albums where I (with Marty Rodgers) were the main songwriters. I studied music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as Juilliard School of Music summer school program in Aspen, CO.
Eventually, KINDRED opened for Three Dog Night and I came back on stage for their encores and then I joined and toured with them. HIgh point was a Beach Boys headline concert on July 4 1984 the Washington Monument in front of more than 500k fans – SHOWTIME did a special on it – (davidbluefield.com/credit/ Row 1 Column 2)
and later that same night we flew on Beach Boys plane to play on Miami Beach – when we got there Ringo Starr was just completing his set and there was a keyboard on stage and I ran up there and jammed with Ringo.
Also I am most proud of winning a CLIO AWARD for a PSA against drunk drivers (M.A.D.D.) (davidbluefield.com/credit/ Row 1 Column 4)
Other fun credits were : playing piano in a skit on live network TV -the Tracey Ullman show with Steve Martin called “Skin the Duck” (davidbluefield.com/credit/ Row 5 Column 1)
and ABC TV promotion for their daily Soap Opera add called THERE’S MORE TO LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON -I composed and orchestrated the add sung by Mary MacGregor ( of “Torn Between two lovers”fame) I also was music director of her band that toured the Far East (davidbluefield.com/credit/ Row 5 Column 2) .
If you saw the Steven Spielberg movie “CLOSE ENCOUNTERS of the THIRD KIND” it was MY HANDS that played the synth that communicated with the Mother Ship of the Aliens. (davidbluefield.com/credit/ Row 1 Column 1)
I also played the keys for Paul Anka (Las Vegas Riviera Hotel), Paul Williams (Las Vegas, Caesar’s Palace,The Platters (Pacific Northwest ),
Stevie Nicks recording of hit song STAND BACK played the OBX synth WITH PRINCE and also programmed the DMX drum machine – also KINDRED opened for Frank Zappa and Tim Buckley in a San Francisco at PEPPERLAND ((davidbluefield.com/credit/ Row 1 Column 3)
In 1991 I moved to Aspen, CO to become a major player in the destination Ski Resort music scene. I had the only recording studio in town and flourished there recording (Don Henley and Jimmy Buffett) and performing
I composed, arranged and produced The Trilogy of the Clazzax : 3 albums of the most beloved Classical melodies in a fun funky jazzy and irrevernent manner.
it was just before the pandemic that I moved back to LA and composed 15 solo piano classic pieces called “5 Suites de Pandemica or What I did during the lockdown”. In fact I hired the very well known pianist for the National Orchestra of Argentina – Marina Ruiz Matta -to video record and two of them are currently on my YouTube page with 200k and 85k followers (https://youtu.be/35idR2JF84c)
But the single biggest accomplishment (since my contract with Warner Bros) was the current viral sensation ongoing with my 104-yr-old dad on drums (https://youtu.be/xMDjQlt9Cek) and the Short Film I just completed (for YOUR eyes only) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ICP6nsY9seRTgCkF5d1DnlStgm9IMHXB/view?usp=drive_link
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?
Generally led a charmed life ONLY doing music full time – I did have a job with my brother YEARS ago at the Dating Game where I took the 2 loser contestants off the stage in to the room where they waited – we basically worked for Chuck Barris the creator of the Dating Game – The Newlyweds – and The Gong Show -forerunners to what later became Reality TV –
The struggles I have to today is remaining or becoming relevant ….using the platforms of YouTube and Spotify -I have working hard at marketing my 300 songs with the help of 2 guys , one in No Hollywood and one in France (via zoom) and various groups on Fiverr – a database based out of Tel Aviv that provides “talent for sale” – to date I have produced 20 of my songs with ” a new suit of clothes” hiring musicians and singers from Ukraine – London – Buenos Aires – Ft Worth- and Jamaica for the different “playlist lanes ” or “genres” that my songs fall into – namely rock, pop, funk jazz and even classical …picking and paying the right group is a struggle and knowing what the audience will like is also a struggle but we sure guessed right with my dad video which has surpassed over 2.5 million views .
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am most proud of the work I did for the American Music Project where I was the director of the music for kids in schools to learn Nursery Rhymes – we produced an album with Iron-Eyes Cody ( the Crying Indian), Earth Wind and Fire rhythm section, Hoyt Axton -Rita Coolidge -Don McClean and others -we played songs like I been working on the railroad and Jimmy Crack corn and I don’t care Oh Susanna etc in funky – county rock -each song with full kid chorus singing and one version with no singing so that the various schools could sing along – it was financed by Herb Alpert and A&M records and as mentioned earlier I got Presidential Achievement awards from both Pres Carter and Reagan.
My specialty is keyboards – I was always the most knowledgeable about music theory in all my bands and (probably due to my father who is still playing the drums at 104 !!!) I have a great sense of rhythm and time and I could always come up with a tasty rhythm piano part to play in every song ….of course the key to production is simplicity and we would always tend to put too much in the tracks out of exuberance – when it was time in every session to mix down -we would go some butcher and get a very long sheet of butcher meat covering paper and write in huge letters running the entre length of the 10 ft wide mix board the word :R E S T R A I N T …..but it rarely worked –but I just loved the camaraderie of playing music with my friends from High School – and learning how to lead how to follow and in wedding bands playing for the super rich in Aspen CO – how to finagle a large tip for a most satisfied customer.
What sets me apart is my belief in myself and perseverance furthers as evidenced that I still believe my songs have value and -especially done more modern – in a new suit of clothes – with superior sonics – that I can bring joy to strangers – and I started with zero post pandemic – and now 13k followers on YouTube and 2..5 miillon views on my Dad’s video
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Well eventually for my scholarships for MUSIC GOT YOUR BACK – I am going to need judges – to determine which “shares”are the most touching and satisfying to award and which songs strike the best emotion on how music has saved lives or inspired lives or enriched etc you get the point – it is subjective and all i need are music lovers to assst
Contact Info:
- Website: https://davidbluefield.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidbluefield
- Soundcloud: https://SoundCloud.com/dbluefield
- Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bluefield
