Ten Questions with David Lutz

David Lutz

1. Hey David, welcome to Kickacts. com. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hello, my friend!!

Let’s see, I am married to my wonderful wife Melissa for soon to be 15 years. I have one son Christopher David Lutz who I am very proud of, he is attending Arizona State University as a sophomore this year, and I presently have 2 great dogs named Tessa and Little Bit!! Lost one of my best friends ever Tobias-J Dog, back in August of 2008, that really sucked!!! Anyway, let’s move on to the other things about me. Born and raised in Hendo, KY where I am very blessed to have had a great childhood with a lot of great friends and an incredible family!! Heck, even all of my teachers were great!! They probably felt different about me, but they were all pretty cool and very great role models!! I could go on and on about my life, but I am sure you wanna’ know more about my musical experiences and not my mischief during my youth!!

2. You sing and play guitar in a acoustic band called “John and Dave”. Tell us about the   band and who is in it and the website address you guys can be found.

This acoustic act you speak of would be “the Dave and Jon band.” (Editor here, “opps, my bad”).Of course we are not really a band, just an acoustic act that obviously includes me and Jon Snyder from the metro of Elberfeld, IN. By the way, that is JON SNYDER and not John Schneider like on the Dukes of Hazard!! Once again I am very blessed to be musically involved with such a talented and professional individual!!! Jon is a smoking great guitarist with great vocal abilities when he chooses to sing, and he is dependable!!! Wow, what more could you ask for from your band mate??? Jon also plays in a great blues band called “Hog-Maw.” You can catch them at the Deerhead and Smitty’s on various days of the each month.

We are very privileged to be regulars at Cheeseburger in Paradise just off the Lloyd expressway in Evansville, Indiana. In fact, we will start the 2nd annual bike night on Tuesday May 12th 2009 and play through October 2009. This was a blast last summer and we expect it to be even bigger and better this year!!! For more info contact Rafe at the burger and he will fill you in on all the upcoming events. Just another plug for the crew at CIP, they are incredibly talented and the service is great!!! Did I mention that all the management is pretty cool also from John Shaver (the owner/partner) to Rafe to Susan!!! They always rock at their job!!! I hope I did not leave anyone out!! If so they will get their props over the summer!!!

We play a variety of music, but keep it mostly old school. We start in the 50’s and work our way through the 80’s, this is really where our hearts are and people seem to enjoy the music. We cover everything from Brad Paisley to the Everly Brothers to Styx, and then Scooby Doo to Sweet Child of Mine. (Please don’t ask me to sing Guns and Roses, I really suck at Axel’s part and my guitar playing is just a little weak.) Besides, if Sumner or Kari is there we will play every 80’s song we know!!!

If you would like to contact us at this time you should try our myspace. It is for now our only web address.

3. What type of gear do you use?

As far as the gear I use, it is pretty stripped down:

I play a Taylor 514ce acoustic guitar (that I do not deserve), I sing through an Audio Technica 4000 series cardioid condenser microphone, and I use a few effects and tuner from a TC Electronics Harmony G Pedal. Of course when we set up at CIP, we use their house p.a. If we play a private gig we use mostly Allen and Heath, JBL SRX series cabs, and QSC power amps.

4. You have more than a couple of studio albums under your belt including some on old school cassettes’. Tell us about them.

About the studio projects…..do I have to talk about this??? Back in the day I really did not need to be recording!!! Yuck, I really was terrible!!! However, I did have the honor of playing with and learning from many great musicians including you!!! Let’s just mention a few: Chuck Gee, Jason Barclay, Bill Sale, John Thomson, Scott Winzinger, Jeff Tate, Jeff Yates, Kurt Ellis, Fred Bassett, The late John Hollinden (hope I spelled his name right), Dave and Dennis Redmon, Paul Moore, Larry Joe Harwood, Randy Owens, Henry Carver, Rick Wilson and Maverick Taylor just to name a few!!!! I also have to mention my great friends and mentors of production Todd Adkins and Jerry McKinney!!! These guys are two of the most talented individuals in the region!!! They rival the pros anywhere around, and I am thankful for the all the time spent in the studio with those guys.

Projects as listed below:

Where Did We Go Wrong (you know the song) / Chasity Lynn Fundraising Project / Jankura- Love Struck and Lies (everyone of you need to request this killer 80’s cd at my website) / Dave Lutz Project / New Beginnings Project / Plush- Self Titled CD

There were many other demos recorded at various studios throughout the years. Let’s give props to some of the main studios in the tri-state area.

Back Yard Studios- Jerry McKinney / The Coop- Todd Adkins / Electric Arts Studio- Steve Chandler / Audio Creation Studios- Randy Wimberly and George Cumbee

Thanks for all the great projects you have produced over the years!!!!

5. Do you have any “greatest gig” stories to tell?

Greatest gigs???? There were many memorable moments!! I try to make the best of every gig I do, just ask Jon Snyder!! Every night is memorable at CIP!! You just have to experience one bike night this year!!! Did I mention bike night at CIP???

I guess my most exciting gigs would have to be the showcase I did with Plush at the Gibson Café in Nashville, or maybe the Everly Brothers Homecoming where we were opening act for Jennifer Knapp and the Katinas. That was a band called The Peace Brothers (with John Thomson, Jason Barclay, and the up and coming Andy Davis).

There were also rewarding gigs with a group named White Rose!!!! We were always appreciated, no matter where we played.

6. And in the same vein, got any “worst gig ever” stories to share?

I don’t like to mention the bad gigs, even though there was this one gig…. I was playing for a church youth group in KY. I put the director off until the week of the gig due to my crazy schedule. However, once I commit I do the gig!!! This is one gig I should have cancelled. I started getting laryngitis the day of the show and I knew it was going to be bad. The gig did not start until like 11p.m., but as it got closer to time my voice had reduced to almost a whisper. I advised the director to start the show immediately or I would not make it through the night. Well, it was too late. I started singing and barely made it through the first song. Just into song number two I lost my voice completely. There were no sound persons, effects processing, or pitch correctors that would reduce my embarrassment that night!!! The only positive thing is that I do have a God given gift for improve and I did what all rock stars do when they can’t hit their notes…..”Let the audience sing your part!!!” unfortunately it was about ten songs worth of notes!!!

7. You went to Nashville in the late 90’s and recorded a nationally released album with the band “Plush”. Anyone listening to it can tell it’s your vocals but Mick Rowe has taken the vocal credit for it and his name appears on the CD.   What the fuck happened there?

Back to the PLUSH CD!!! That was a great experience for me. Even with all the industry politics I still came out the blessed one, and hope that the cd may have ministered to some kid out there somewhere!! The deal was supposed to be much better than it was, but when it came down to it I could not quit my job and leave all of my responsibilities behind just to play rock star!!! I of course resigned from the band, and the cd was still released. I asked that I at least get recognition for all of my work on the cd. I actually sang all lead and backing vocals on the cd. As for Mick Rowe, he was the original singer and started the project, but was released due to some undisclosed conflict with the band. There was one song that we layered Mick’s voice under mine, but that is because my voice was too pretty!!! Just kidding!!! Well, not really. That is kind of the way it rolled!!

The cd was released with me listed as and extra, and with no recognition on the few songs I helped co-write. The awesome part is that I was humbled, but blessed by the opportunity to work under Tony Palacios!!! Tony is an incredible artist, musician, producer, and most of all a great Christian example for all to see!!!! Thanks again to Tony and his wonderful family for allowing me to stay with them during this time!!

On with the show!!!!

Paul Stanley & David Lutz

8. Who are your heroes and what inspired you to take up singing?

This next question is very tough. My life heroes would have to start with my savior Jesus!! He gave up everything just to save a screw up like me!!! I think to there are different heroes for each stage of your life. I would also have to list my wife Melissa, my mom and dad, my sisters, my great friends (starting with you, Steve Knight, Jason Barclay and Paul Moore) and so many others up to today!!! Like I mentioned early on many of my teachers also!!! As far as most recent heroes to come into my life, Monty Parrish and his incredible family for showing me an unimaginable amount of strength in the loss of their son Aaron Michael Parrish!!! Aaron was like a son to Melissa and I also, and I might add a great guitarist himself. Check out his initials A.M.P., how appropriate for this great kid. His younger brother Nathan also is a great young drummer who has the potential to be the next best drummer in this region if he chooses!! I am not just saying this, he is amazing!!!

You told me to make this long and you got it!!!

My musical heroes vocally speaking would have to be Steve Perry of Journey, Elvis of Elvis, and David Pack of Ambrosia. There are many others like Robin Zander, Brad Delp, Tommy Shaw, Dennis DeYoung, and on and on and on!!!

Guitarists would be tough also. I would probably start with Neal Schon of Journey, Randy Rhodes, Larry Carlton, and I really do like the playing of Andy Timmons a local favorite!!

Dude, I have to stop sometime. This could go on forever and ever!!

All of these artists inspired me to sing, but I was probably motivated by the pocket change I received to sing for my parent’s friend at age five!! I am obviously pretty cheap to hire!!

9. Do you have any other hobbies other than singing and playing guitar?

My other hobbies include doing sound for regional festivals and audio/video production for many outreach programs. I also enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, and I am going to start doing that much more!! I like all kinds of stuff; I mean all kinds of stuff!! I like doing things so much that I don’t even sleep!!!

I guess in closing I must ask for much forgiveness if I left anyone out of this interview!!! I also would like to thank so many people who have helped to mold my music career and personality!!! I am very pleased most of the time with who I am and what I have accomplished in my life, I really have very few regrets!!

10. # 10 is called “Shout it Loud”. It’s were you get to talk about whatever you want to talk about.
So go ahead David, and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

I would like for my “shout out loud” to go to our youth. You guys are the future of this great country in which we live. I know that you have been dealt a pretty crappy hand from past generations, but I challenge you to keep yourself clean and sober and seek God in all you do!!! I have the utmost faith in your abilities to turn things around. We did not leave this mess intentionally, but we did leave this mess!! Step up and show the world what the United States of America is made of, “YOU!!!”  Keep it real and Rock On!!!

Thanks again Chuck for this great opportunity!! I wish you and KICK ACTS the best!!