I was born in Saltville, Virginia, not much more than a wide place in the
road and home for only about 1,600 people. My father was one of those
colorful characters you hear about… a magician, ventriloquist, singer
and dancer, even performed on Vaudeville. He was known to have
tipped the bottle perhaps a little too often too!
Mom was the rock… good, kind and understanding with a heart of gold. She believed angels
walked the earth and I believe SHE was one of them! She always told me there was some special
reason I was put hear on earth. You know what I’m gonna say it is, don’t ya’? Yep, MUSIC!
I started singing somewhere around the age of six. I remember riding in that old Ford Falcon,
playing in the back seat with Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and George Jones playing on the
radio, Country music was always on the radio and in my blood.
The plant my dad worked at shut down and at eleven years old the family moved to Georgia. It
was in those Georgia churches, that I first took a real interest in playing music. At 14 years old, I
started playing bass in church (lots of music there and I loved it). I began to travel with several
gospel groups, including the Kings Kids, all over the Southeast playing churches and tent
revivals every weekend.
Years passed, I grew up with the influences of everything from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Conway
Twitty. After school, I wound up down in Louisiana where I went to work at an oil refinery. It was
around the time that Johnny Lee came out with, “Looking For Love” and the Urban Cowboy era.
That’s when I really began playing country and shortly after, I got into playing the clubs. There
were several bands and then came “Backroads” which is where I learned about the road and
how rough it can be. A common gig in those days would began at 9:00 PM and go till about 4:00
in the morning. A year and a half went by and the group disbanded.
Time rolled by and I had an opportunity to join The Stone Mountain Band with Buddy Andrews
as the leader. Buddy became my music mentor, and taught me so much in so little time about the
entertainment business. Buddy was a very talented musician that played in numerous road acts
such as George Jones and Johnny Duncan. Armed with some newfound wisdom and more
experience under my belt I put the Backroads band back together. We started out in a small
roadhouse in LaPlace, Louisiana and within six months, we were booked solid, playing every
weekend and many week nights, opening for Nashville recording artist such as Steve Wariner,
Tammy Wynette, Billy Joe Royal, Moe Bandy and John Wesley Ryles just to name a few.
I eventually moved to California where I continued to play with numerous local artists and one
night in late 1990, I met the girl of my dreams, Renee. She’s been by my side ever since. She was
the one I was looking for all my life and I owe everything to her. She’s the angel that puts the soul
in my songs and the drive in me to succeed!
This sure enough isn’t all there is to know about David Statzer, just a thumbnail sketch so to
speak! His voice and music speak for themselves. Throughout his music career he’s
shared the stage with some of the best … or did THEY!!!
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