OUR BACK STORY: Dave had recently finished writing his poetry book and was waiting on final production and wanted to try something new just to see if he could do it. The dream started last October in New Orleans attending a family wedding. He had written a poem that he thought could be turned into a song and out of nowhere he heard a melody for a chorus in his head. The song is still in production, but it was a start. Since Dave had recently published his poetry book (Things I Couldn’t Say Until Today) last November. He wanted to transition into song writing, with hopes that his poetic touch would fit into song lyrics. This transition was not as easy as Dave thought. After about five months of writing, he had one song that he wanted to contract out with and see if it could actually be put into a real song. This was a song called “Your Subtle Style”. He found Larry on a verse/song website and sent Larry an email wanting him to have a look. Larry agreed it was worthy of making into a song and he explained what he would do in producing a melody and assist with finding a contracted singer to finish the song. After completing a mockup, Larry provided Dave with a list of potential contracted singers who thought would fit how the song should be sung. Together they agreed and contracted with a singer named Sam MacGregor. In about three weeks the song “Your Subtle Style” became an actual song.

The trio had worked well in producing Dave’s lyrics and decided to try a second song called “He Blessed Me” with the same results, a completed song. In seeing how well the three had worked together, Dave provided Larry a new song every two weeks and they worked together collectively developing the type of song they wanted and what would fit the lyrics and Sam’s singing style. And That is how The Dave Black Expression was formed.

Dave had a vision of completing a full album with 11 songs that he had written lyrics and felt would fit together on an album. The group found continuity with Dave as the Songwriter providing the lyrics, Larry producing the music and instruments with studio recordings, and Sam with his singing knack for making the words pop, tying the entire song together.

What started as one song, grew into our first album titled “My Rear View Mirror.” Dave chose the title from a line in an early song (My Drive) and again in one of the final songs ( Been a Good Ride).

Why Country? Dave just shakes his head, “it’s what I write, It just took months to figure that out.” He was on vacation in Florida and when by accident the station preset was to a local country station that he decided to commit and leave the station set to country. And for once and for all he decided he could write country music.

Momentum. Dave says the most exciting part of becoming a songwriter was witnessing the early success turn into momentum. About three songs in we all knew we could put together a good product and become a band. We just connected. All electronically, without any in person contact.

Why The Dave Black Expression? “Great question. My wife and I floated out various names and this one felt good. Afterall I was a poet, and my writing was expression,” said Dave. “Feels right!”

Owe it all to Larry and Sam. Dave is fast to admit his lyrics only fit with the brilliant work of Larry in creating a melody and adding in certain instruments. And as Dave adds, taking out certain “cool” things that didn’t sound as cool as we first thought. And what more can you say about Sam. He has a range and delivery that adapts and fits to each song. “This is a group of three equal parts” Dave says. without each other we are not a group at all. There were times Sam had to stuff all the words into a line as fast as he could to get Daves point across, and he did it perfectly. There were times when Larry could read Daves initial ideas and put out a melody that took off without much discussion. There was a time early on where Dave wasn’t thrilled with the melody and Larry asked him to provide three close examples of what he envisioned by another artist. The joke was Dave didn’t even know of many country artists. True story, this is how Dave became a die-hard Morgan Wallen fan. “I studied him, and every song. He became a driving force,” said Dave. “Larry never had to ask me again as I always had a vision of how I wanted a song to sound. And Larry got me and came through with a great melody each time. Looking back that was a wakeup call for me”

Final words. “ Life brings some strange situations and often you have a hobby early in life but you don’t realize it for many years sometimes decades later. In my case, I found my passions while in college and lived my life in pursuit of the main goals: a life that included sports especially hockey. I made my profession as an ice arena manager fulfilling one of my top three dreams in college. Another one was to write a book and I completed this dream in 2022 some 46 years later. My last dream was to write lyrics for a song and make an album. In July 2023, I checked this box with the release of this album and its singles, becoming a recording artist. It just took a while to realize my hobbies in college were my true passions.

on July 12, 2022, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, and it changed how I looked at life. My new attitude includes the motto ALWAYS BELEIVE YOU CAN! In this past year, I published my poetry book “Things I Couldn’t Say Until Today” in November 2022, defeated my cancer, grew my faith and in March 2023 I pursued this last crazy dream and have now completed this final project, my first album! What a blessed year and journey it’s been.” Dave Black July 12 2023

Acknowledgements. I would like to thank the many people by name for their guidance and assistance with this project. Thank you to my family especially my wife Cheryl for everything and your unbending encouragement when I was feeling unsure of myself. Thank you to my test market team for their willingness to preview songs throughout the process: Marilyn, Mark, Eric, Paul and Don. To friends Eric and Rachel for separately reviewing my early songs and independently convincing me I was writing country music lyrics. And for challenging me to keep after it, providing valuable feedback and motivation. To Chip for his hometown (from Richfield MN) musical mentorship and for bringing me into his studio so I could learn how recordings were done. To Don for letting me borrow his classic Corvette for the cover shoot and his great pictures we used for the album art. To my longtime friend Mark Utter for being there for me day in and out and cheering me on to complete this project. And last and in my mind the most important my friend Dave, for asking me the same question over and over until I believed it. It was a faith question, and it goes like this… Do you Believe? I answered yes and eventually I became a believer. it’s way more than making a record. God is so good!

I am forever indebted to Larry Magee for his expertise and guidance producing this album. There are no accidents in life’s journey and answering a short add on a verse/lyric site led me to one of the most influential people in my life. It helped me do something preposterous like make an album of my original lyrics with no musical ability in three months’ time. And to Sam MacGregor for show casing his vocals on each song, another gift from above.

Only in 2023 can you make lasting relationships without meeting someone face to face. We did it boys!!!!

rear11 songs that range from contemporary country music to new country RNB and more

The Dave Black Expression has three performers: Dave Black Composer and lyricist. Lawrence Magee music producer and Sam MacGregor as vocalist.