Dave Shrewsbury is a recording engineer and professional musician based in Boston, MA. In 2001, he received a degree in Music Production and Engineering from the Berklee College of Music, and he currently works at a Boston-area advertising agency producing music for radio and TV commercials. The West Virginia native began playing piano at age 5. Armed with a foundation of classical music, he went on to become fluent in the styles of rock, pop, jazz, funk, blues, R&B, and country. He also branched out from the piano and began to play keyboards, Hammond B3 organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and all the other classic keyboard instruments. He also plays electric and acoustic guitar and bass. Throughout high school, Dave competed in many piano competitions, including the National Music Educator's Association Piano Competition in Chicago. In the WVMEA Competition, Dave received 5 consecutive Superior ratings, and he was chosen as the piano accompanist for the WV All-State Chorus twice. He has moved on from his grandmother's upright piano, where he started, to larger stages. He has appeared on NBC's Today Show, performed with legendary artists such as 'Danny and the Juniors', and has played with many of Berklee's most prestigious groups in Berklee's Performance Center, at Boston's Harvard Club, and at Boston's Westin Hotel. Dave's music has been heard on NBC, ABC, the WB Network, and radio stations all across the country. Frequently Asked Questions: At what age did you start playing music? I began piano lessons when I was 5 years old. I would go to church and sit near the organist, and then after lunch I would sit at my grandmother's piano and play the hymns from that day without having seen the music. That's when my parents decided that I should start taking lessons. Do you have a favorite type / brand of piano? For studio recording, I prefer the newer Yamaha Grands. Nothing sounds better on tape than a new Yamaha Grand. For classical and more expressive playing, I prefer an older Steinway with a lighter touch. One of my favorite pianos was an old Baldwin baby grand that my church in WV had; the keys and the action were like butter. Do you have a favorite brand of guitar? For electrics, I love Tom Anderson guitars because they are perfect in every way. For acoustics, it doesn't get any better than a Collings. Don't be surprised if you've never heard of either of them -- those are both very expensive custom guitars and most music stores don't carry them, but believe me, they are worth every penny. If you're looking for either, give Dan Bailey a call at 304-256-3857. What type of keyboard do you recommend for someone who wants an excellent piano sound and great weighted keys? After YEARS of searching, I finally found a keyboard that I actually enjoy playing as much as a piano. It's a Roland FP-3. It doesn't do a lot of different things, but in my opinion, it has the best basic piano sounds and feels more like a piano than anything else I've ever found. It's pretty cheap too! :) What styles of music do you listen to? I listen to every style of music imaginable, including hard rock, cheesy pop, and everything in between. Some of my biggest musical influences are Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Seal, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Bruce Hornsby, the legendary Johnnie Johnson, the list goes on and on. I also really enjoy phenomenal singers -- I've recently decided that Martina McBride is the most amazing singer alive. I've also been listening to Joss Stone recently -- she's great. And for some real southern soul, it doesn't get better than Edwin McCain. What is the worst gig you ever played? The band I was in in high school, Improv, played in the parking lot of Sunn Electronic Store (Beckley) during their grand opening at 9 in the morning. The first 100 people through the door got a free TV, and so there were a lot of people there, but they were all trying to ignore us. We were playing badly that morning, so just for fun, we decided to be obnoxiously loud... like 40,000 watts loud. I think we hit rock bottom that morning. (Update: Sunn Electronics is now out of business. Did we have anything to do with that? I'm not saying we didn't.) What is the best gig you ever played? There are 2: The 2001 Commencement Concert at Berklee College of Music. The concert was a tribute to the rock group, Steely Dan, who were in the audience. It's probably the most fun I've had playing on stage. Also while at Berklee, I played in a Seal "caf show" (an after-hours student concert in Berklee's cafeteria.) The show was amazing, the crowd was awesome, and I was on stage with my favorite musicians on the planet: Matt Mangano (toured with John Mayer and currently playing with Wise Child), Stefan Robberson (world's most incredible drummer), Chris Joerger (recently on tour with the American Idols), Steve Mazur (current guitar player of "Our Lady Peace"). Have I heard any of the commercials you've worked on? If you live in New England, yes you have, and you are probably sick of hearing them ALL THE TIME. I've done music for Subaru of New England, East West Mortgage, I Sold My House.com, Giant Glass, Ira Motor Group, Ernie Boch Jr., National Lumber, Kitchen Views, TNT Vacations, Newpro, Gulf Gasoline, The Big E, Cornerstone Mortgage, First Call Mortgage, and Cumberland Farms, just to name a few. In the NYC and Philadelphia areas, I've done music and TV commercial production for Gulf Gasoline and Dick's Sporting Goods. Nationally, I've done music and production for the University of Phoenix. Do you have any long-term musical goals? I would like to build and own a recording studio at some point. I would also like to go on tour with a major artist as their keyboard player. What (specific) instruments do you own? A 1923 Steinway Model M Baby Grand Piano, a Hammond B3 organ (w/ the Trek II Reverb mod) with a 147 Leslie, a modified Korg Triton, a Roland FP-3, 2 Korg O1/Wfd's, a Korg I2, an Alesis QS8, A Hammond XB-2., a Tom Anderson Drop Top Classic Electric Guitar, a Collings D1 acoustic guitar, a Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, a Washburn Acoustic/Electric Guitar, a miscellaneous older Martin acoustic guitar, A Yamaha Classical Acoustic Guitar, a Selmer Paris Mark VI alto sax, a Fender FM-52E Mandolin, and a Dean Performer Plus Acoustic/Electric Bass.

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