Photo Credit Ches Sulkowski, Tillsonburg, ON
David Edward Wells - bio - short version
Born: Shelburne Ontario Canada
Lived: Milton, Burlington, Hamilton, Waterdown, Norfolk County
Worked at: factories, truck driving, farm labour, greenhouse labour, mushroom farm
Many labour intensive jobs made up my past, but through all this ran the constant thread of music, song writing, poetry, prose. Both sides of my brain have been equally employed. Makes for a satisfying life actually.
Musically, I've been inspired by many through the years.It started with the early country stars like Patsy Cline and Hank Williams. Then came the 60s with The Paupers, Lovin’ Spoonful, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and many of the British Invasion bands.
Those where the main influences, but I listen to everything really. I've been listening to Hearts of Space since it's inception 35 or so years ago. That's what prompted me to create Various Mansions of the Universe and other ambient music. I only aim to make sounds I like to listen to. That's the best criteria for any artist in any field. There will always be people who like what you like.
And on the singer/songwriter side I've I had the good fortune to record one album I'm really happy with. Night Roads, is a 5 song EP of original material that has been written, played, re-worked, and played again over many years.
With the engineering skills of Tommy Parham at Bandana Records working for me and the beautiful harmonies dropped in by internationally renowned singer Tia McGraff, Night Roads is a dream come true. It was a long time coming but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to wait until all the stars line up and you can begin with the best you can be.
The longer version - where I really let go…
My object is to tell you a little about myself and my interests. My interests are far ranging from writing, photography, history, in fact, I’ve tried my hand at a multitude of things, but the one that has remained a constant with me is making music. So, I will focus on the musical events in my life, which should reveal a bit about me.
When I was knee-high to an adult knee, I accompanied my parents to family dances upstairs at the Shelburne Legion. There were tables of food, lots of kids running around and Johnny Patton was on the stage with his country band, singing And The Cat Came Back or something. He was good enough to have become well known, but when he was asked to play live at a radio station he found it too nerve-wracking, and he stayed a home-town hero.
After the dance my parents would invite the band, and a good part of the crowd, out to our farmhouse and the party would continue. During a break Johnny’s guitar would be sitting on the kitchen table and I would stand and stare at it wanting so much to touch it but never nervy enough. It became like the holy grail in my mind.
That was the beginning.
Now flash forward to my eleventh birthday when I finally got my own guitar. Only much later did I realize what a hardship this was for my parents to buy this, along with finding $5 a week for lessons. On Saturday mornings I would ride my bike to Bob Kanerva’s house on the other side of town, oh, we’re in Milton, now, with my guitar dangling in a pillow case, off to the next lesson.
The lessons went well enough and I was learning the solid foundation that would make me a good player. A little boring but essential. Now... if I had of continued along that path I may have actually become an outstanding player. But, flash forward again, to 1964, when the Beatles hit town. Well, Toronto, anyway, and my brother, George, the Loblaws big shot, got me tickets to the show at Maple Leaf Gardens. My first concert!
Everything you have heard is true, the constant flashing of camera bulbs, the continuous screaming of the young girls, the feeling of being inside a pressure cooker. But, contrary to reports, I could make out what songs they played, maybe because I wasn’t screaming. But, I was as excited as anyone caught up in the mania.
So, my well-crafted lessons went out the window and I formed a series of bands all through high school, playing 3 chord rock songs. The first of these bands, the BDC’s played the Milton Legion, bringing me full-circle, in a way. In another band we played original songs in public schools, (where they acted like we were the Beatles), in high schools, and even at Sheridan College, where we were paid with a check written on a scrap of the paper tablecloth.
This went on until my 20s when I got married, had a child, got divorced, sweated in factories - life happening like life does. I still played with friends, but, didn’t write songs or form bands. It all seemed behind me.
Flash forward then to the late 80s, when Jackie and I moved to the beautiful eroding cliffs of Lake Erie.
Finally - back to the rural life, where I feel most at peace and alive. I sat one night marvelling at the complete darkness of the country night and I began to sing -’Stars look cold tonight, stars look old tonight, sky so dark tonight, without you.’ And I was back writing again and continue to this day.
Not having played in public for many years I had a bad case of the jitters. I learned to control this by performing at many open mics, in Waterford and Port Dover. I even had an occasional band with my son, Matt Wells and good friend, Colin Couch, called All Day Breakfast, (You’ve probably seen our signs all around). At open mics you meet peers who encourage you perform, no matter how far you are from being easy to listen to. You just keep getting up there no matter how much your hands are shaking and you do it.
A couple of years with Toastmasters in Tillsonburg helped immensely with the nervousness also.
Then, at home, we got a Mac and it’s resident recording program Garageband, and I found I could produce ambient music like I always loved to listen to on late night radio. I made Various Mansions of the Universe and tracks from it are still being streamed all over the world. Believe me, a get rich scheme it’s not, but it feels good to know I’m being listened to. And then I got as far as recording singer-songwriter songs, making my EP, Night Roads and getting the odd gig.
I was asked, recently, to write songs about the history of Norfolk County by the Port Rowan/South Walsingham Heritage Association (PRSWHA). These were presented at a meeting and very well received. One song Lullaby of Inner Bay is on Night Roads.
I have appeared on the main stage of Turtlefest in Tillsonburg for 3 years running. Two of those years I organized the music portion, hiring local and out-of-town bands.
So what more could I want? Do some more recording, play a few more live gigs, help in the garden, growing our own food, and be grateful for all we have - family, friends, good health.
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Singer/songwriter contemporary folk.