Bio
For over two decades in the music business, internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Dave Carroll has delighted fans with his clear, warm and intimate approach to music. A master storyteller, Dave’s unique and insightful songs are injected with a ‘coming home’ sense of familiarity and his rich, unforced vocals have resonated with audiences around the world. Most recently, Dave’s incredible talent has become known to thousands of new fans through his United Breaks Guitars fame and his career as an entertainer and songwriter have rapidly gained momentum. The impact of his music protest video has been so tremendous that it has opened new doors for him as a sought after public speaker and has earned him the title of modern day folk hero. Said to be ‘one of the nicest guys in the business,’ Dave Carroll is one of Atlantic Canada’s brightest shining stars.
United Breaks Guitars puts Dave Carroll on the World Stage
With the release of United Breaks Guitars, a music protest video about his poor experience with United Airlines, Dave Carroll took the Internet by storm (in the summer of 2009), becoming one of YouTube’s greatest hits and causing an instant media frenzy across all major global networks and sources (including the likes of CNN, the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone Magazine & the BBC to name a few). Worldwide audiences discovered Dave’s Canadian charm, winning persona and unique creative abilities. Demonstrating the power of the individual, he became an instant phenomenon in the age of social media and a globally recognized advocate for customer experience improvement. In January 2010, Dave appeared on ABC’s daytime talk show ‘The View,’ to discuss the United Breaks Guitars trilogy and he performed on the show.
What has all of this meant for Dave? New opportunities beyond those of the traditional music industry are arising every day. Dave and his ‘United Breaks Guitars experience’ are currently being written about in college and university case studies around the world regarding the impacts of social media; such a case study is due to be published by the Harvard School of Business in 2010. In October, Dave was called upon to be the opening keynote speaker at the Right Now Technologies 2009 North American Summit in Colorado. He spoke to representatives from large companies providing a firsthand glimpse of the repercussions of unresolved bad customer service experiences. He also took part in making real change in September 2009, when he was invited to speak in Washington at a US Congressional Passenger’s Bill of Rights Hearing involving American lawmakers, Congressmen and Senators – a rare opportunity that most musicians never experience. In March 2010, Dave will be speaking at the Columbia University BRITE Conference.
“With this one song David has remarkably been able to accomplish something that lobbyists have been trying to resolve for 10-years,” explains Bill Skolnik, the AFM Vice President from Canada. “It is not unlike the classic David and Goliath story with David Carroll drawing on his craft to create a metaphoric slingshot that hits right at the heart of the matter. This achievement illustrates the unique ability art has to empower the public, and as such we are hopeful that the attention this internet sensation has garnered will spiral into a resolution to our continuing negotiations with the airline industry at large.”
The first two songs of the United Breaks Guitars Trilogy have reached viral status with over 8.7 million views and climbing on YouTube. United Breaks Guitars received a number of real time honours in July including the #1 Most Viewed Music Video; the #6 Most Viewed Video (all categories) and the #18 Top Rated Music Video of All Time. There are currently over 20 million exact match references on the Internet to United Breaks Guitars, moreover, it is estimated that easily 100 million people have heard the story.
Dave Carroll’s versatility and longevity is evident in his accomplishments. Recognition from music industry peers for the success of United Breaks Guitars came in the form of two 2009 Nova Scotia Music Awards: Digital Artist of the Year and Video of the Year. Dave has also been nominated for the prestigious 2010 East Coast Music Award (ECMA) Entertainer of the Year. Dave is also in the running for the 2010 ECMA Fans Choice Video of the Year and the 2010 ECMA Fans Choice Favourite Artist.
The third song in the United Breaks Guitars Trilogy is due to be released on March 2nd, 2010.
Flying Solo with Perfect Blue
In 2008 Dave released his highly anticipated debut solo recording Perfect Blue, representing a new chapter in his music career. Perfect Blue is an eclectic combination of musical styling showcasing Dave’s growth as a songwriter and storyteller as well as his maturity as a singer. He delivers an outstanding recording, capturing an honesty and vulnerability rare in today’s music. The album was co-produced with the highly regarded Jamie Robinson. Three of the songs were co-written in Nashville with Bernie Chiaravalle, Grammy winner Jon Vezner and Canadian Steve Fox.
Sometimes witty and often insightful, his gifted songwriting bridges the genres of Pop, Rock, Country and Folk with inspired lyrics and more hooks than a box of fishing tackle. Carroll’s solo album has received numerous recognitions and honours to its credit including the 2008 Nova Scotia Music Award (MNS) for Inspirational Recording of the Year, nominations for the 2009 ECMA Male Solo Recording, 2009 ECMA Pop Recording of the Year and the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Contemporary Singer of the Year.
Now, the fourth track off of Perfect Blue is one of the most powerful and memorable ballads in the collection. Inspired by Eckhart Tolle’s (Oprah Winfrey’s book club selection author) bestseller ‘The Power of Now,’ the song Now placed 1st in the 12th Annual Unisong International Songwriting contest (Acoustic/Folk) and was a finalist in the 2008 John Lennon Songwriting contest. Most notably, Eckhart Tolle endorsed Now, describing it as “…a song that invites us beyond the pain of the past, into the Freedom of the Now.”
Finding Roots with Sons of Maxwell
Dave Carroll’s music career began in University when he started a singing duo with his brother Don. With much dedication and spirit, the Don and Dave Show evolved into the ECMA award-winning band Sons of Maxwell (S.O.M.). Dave has written, recorded and released over 40 original songs on the band’s eight CDs, shared in multiple nominations and awards and has toured North America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. S.O.M.’s energetic performances are highlighted by a Chris Isaak great sense of humour, their signature harmonies and original Pop-Folk songs. The strength of the duo is built upon its diversity. The fact is, what sets them apart has also made them so popular with such a broad spectrum of people. They have done prolific work in a relatively short time and have developed a large, dedicated fan base. Sons of Maxwell have been nominated for 5 East Coast Music Awards and have won 2 ECMA’s (one in 2006 with Sunday Morning for Country Album of the Year and in 2002 with Among the Living for Roots Traditional Group of the Year).
Dave’s vocal style has been compared to James Taylor, Neil Finn, and Keith Urban but more often than not what strikes listeners is that Dave Carroll sings with his own voice, telling stories and sharing his unique observations of the world in which we live.
In song, Canadian singer/songwriter Dave Carroll captures elusive shades of shadow and light. His latest CD, Perfect Blue is much more than a balance of introspective songs and rollicking rhythms; it is a culmination of gigs performed, miles traveled, characters encountered and life lived.
Dave Carroll, who calls himself “a late bloomer,” began his musical career in college. In a duo with his brother Don as the popular Sons of Maxwell, the pair recorded eight CD’s of over 40 of Dave’s original pop/country songs, won numerous East Coast Music Awards (ECMA’s) and built a sizeable fan base through worldwide tours. As a solo artist, Dave’s recordings have been honored with multiple ECMA’s, a first place win in the Unisong International Song Contest and finalist standing in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Long before the trend became common, both the band and Dave operated as independent, self-managed artists. While these career trajectories might be under the radar of the traditional music industry, a continued commitment and connection to audiences has remained an unbroken link in an ever-lengthening chain.
Kudos and credits notwithstanding, it was a broken Taylor guitar that made Dave Carroll an international celebrity. When United Airlines baggage handlers tossed his beloved instrument and refused to accept responsibility, Carroll retaliated with “United Breaks Guitars,” the first in a trilogy of songs that were to become immense YouTube hits with over nine million views. The story broke from CNN to The New York Times to Rolling Stone, and culminated with Dave’s appearance on The View with Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. “Music is the only thing I’ve been doing to make a living for years,” says Dave. “I’ve never had a day job, so by that definition I’ve been successful. But as an indie artist it is tough to make your way – so this is my record deal, my chance of stepping up.”
Dave has completed his first tour of his ancestral homeland, Ireland, with performances at the Bronte Music Club, the Belfast Nashville Festival, McGrory’s in Donegal and the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre in Dublin. “I started out playing out a lot of Irish pubs with Sons of Maxwell,” he explains, “ getting the crowd behind the music through that Irish style of strong melodies and hooks.”
For companies preferring to not have grievances aired in song through social media, Dave has a new career as a public speaker. He spoke in Washington DC at a U.S. Congressional Passenger’s Bill of Rights hearing for leaders and lawmakers, delivered the keynote address at the Right Now Technologies North American Summit and will be featured at Brite, a conference presented by the Columbia Business School Center on Global Brand Leadership at the end of March.
The guitar has long since been repaired. Taylor Guitars, grateful for the publicity, has given Dave some new models. And with the release of the Perfect Blue, the silver strings resonate with the power of new songs. “Some people might naturally think I’m a one trick pony, or the ‘Weird Al’ of customer service,” says Dave. “But there’s a lot more beneath the surface for people who choose to look for it.” Substance and spirit are in equal measure in the gothic shadows of “Free as a Sparrow” from Perfect Blue. Says Dave, “I wrote it with no expectations or obligations. The idea just spilled out. In the Bible and in mythology, it is a bird that can transcend heaven and earth.” Another song, “Now,” extols the idea of staying present as revealed in Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now. The best-selling author described Dave’s words and music as, “… a song that invites us beyond the pain of the past into the Freedom of the Now.”
“The Average Man,” a character study of someone who walks the middle ground is one of Dave’s favorites, “But I’m shocked at my friends who hear it and think it’s about them. It’s that Canadian thing – we walk around with complexes that we’re average.” In writing songs, he says that the melody is “always ahead of the lyrics.” Three of these new songs were co-written in Nashville with Bernie Chiaravalle (Michael McDonald, Larry Carlton), Grammy winner Jon Vezner (Reba McIntire, Faith Hill) and Canadian Steve Fox (Montgomery Gentry.)
Dave communicates via email with listeners from all over the world who are connected to him through his songs. “I don’t spoon feed messages,” he notes. “I hope my songs allow listeners to look inward to find their own meanings. I think listening to a song is like reading a book as opposed to going to the movie. The book is always better, because your imagination fills in the colors. Musically, it’s the same for me. I think I’m at my best when I’m connecting with the people I’m performing to, and as a writer, when I’m finding the essence.”
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