David Rea : The Gift

David Rea passed away on October 27th, 2011, a day after his 65th birthday. David played lead guitar with Gordon Lightfoot, Ian & Sylvia and Joni Mitchell, among many others before becoming a singer-songwriter and storyteller in his own right. David had a long and rich career in music. He even had a hit song, having co-written "Mississippi Queen", a hit for Mountain. Joni Mitchell literally sang his praises in her song "Play Little David". The song in the video, "The Gift", was David's contribution to and title track of an album in tribute to the songs of Ian Tyson.

"David he would sit in some dark corner
Seemed to melt the shadows with his eyes
And the song that he was playing
Was nothing less than prayin'
And nothing more than sayin' 'I'm alive'
Won't you play, Little David
Play Little David, play"

-Joni Mitchell

(notes from David Rea's site at http://davidreamusic.com/ )

Category:

Music

Tags:

• David
• Rea
• The
• Gift
• Ian
• Tyson
• Sylvia
• Gordon
• Lightfoot
• Joni
• Mitchell
• Akron
• Ohio
• Singer
• Songwriter
• Storyteller
• paganmaestro

[guitargirl4scrabble]

Thanks for this from an old friend of David's.

[paganmaestro]

@guitargirl4scrabble - Thanks. Means a lot to know it reached you.

[PHJimY]

@mgbman100 Was that the Mariposa at Maple Leaf Stadium (1964)? I was at that workshop. He also backed up Joni Anderson (Mitchell), Gord Lightfoot and Ian & Sylvia that year.

[raren11]

I first met David out back of the Riverboat in Yorkville during the heady days of the folk era. He had a sparkle in his eyes behind those thick, round glasses and he could sure make a high steel string guitar ring. Sadly, demons chased him but he has left a mark on me and many other guitar players despite those issues. Truly gifted and missed.

[dosjuans3]

"Along the way from youth to whatever, we come across folks that just come with a lot of soul, right there on top, maybe ill at ease and a little tortured; but listen quiet and you can hear angel wings rustling around them as they move, watched and cared for, left a bit on their own to fulfil whatever magic gift they¹ve been given." David's gift was in his giving it back.

[mgbman100]

This is a great -first saw David at Mariposa in the early 60s - he gave a guitar workshop travis picked with his thumb and one finger - he was just awesome made finger picking sound just like flat picking - ran all the bass runs with his thumb - just like Red Shea did with Gordon Lightfoot. Saw him many times at the small coffee houses in Toronto with Gordon LIghtfoot, Ian and Sylvia, and Joni Mitchell . Have all of his newer albums and he wrote great stuff. Remember his sparkle and humor most!!

[paganmaestro]

@TomFan42 - And it's wonderful, as with David and any other who extended a mastery, that the gift they shared is carried on.

[TomFan42]

@TerryTufts David was one of the great one to be sure, but not the last, Terry.

[eulessgirl1]

I love this sooooooo much! 

[bscote]

Very sad news.

[TerryTufts]

Last of the great Travis pickers. I met David three or four times when touring and he always had wonderful stories to tell and he was always generous with his knowledge of the guitar . Little bit of the devil in every note. God needed someone to put music to Charlie's sunsets.

[TomFan42]

Thanks for this wonderful tribute to David Rea. I had not heard the news of his passing until I saw this. I had the pleasure of seeing David perform solo on three occasions and on the most recent had a chance to chat with him. A friendly and charming man and a great musician.