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 This website is dedicated to David Munyon, a man who lives in an old trailer (that used to belong to Hank Williams Sr.) Midland City, Alabama. Munyon is a so-called traditional singer-songwriter. Marked through hardship and day-to-day experiences he creates his own world, expressed via his very unique songs. He simply follows his nature and performs his music and writes songs. He’s an original thinker, a philosopher, trying to find his own way and understanding for a world that isn’t always Paradise. He used to be a traveler; he traveled through the world and spell-bounds, in small Café’s and Bar’s. His religion and the support of his wife Dixie - who protected him from a world in which he did not know how to manage – give him strength to carry out his wonderful music. His rural songs are like bare bones, direct and open, stripped from all decorations. His style is carved by life itself.
Many great American singer-songwriters are traditionalists. They compose their poetic thoughts on an acoustic guitar or piano. David Munyon is one of those traditionalists. He plays for money to buy food, clothing and shelter. His lyrics are about real life and they’re engaging. When he sings about poverty, it doesn’t come from a book or magazine. For me he’s one of those performers that remain true to their music. Easily comparable to the likes of Townes van Zandt, Woody Guthrie or Lee Clayton. He’s a singer-songwriter that knows how to perform; his songs will absorb you into his world.
At the end of the eighties Glitterhouse Records discovered David Munyon’s music. During that time the artist Munyon was virtually unknown within the Netherlands. Surrounding countries, such as Germany, UK and the most of the Scandinavian countries, had already embraced him as an established American singer-songwriter. Since then this devoted group only increased.
In 1996 I decided to create a unique virtual space for this very talented artist on the World Wide Web. It is my privilege to contribute sharing his distinct and original sound to all people that find themselves comfortable in the soul of roots related music. He should gain the recognition that he deserved through his craftsmanship, not alone from fellow musicians, and certainly not posthumous.
If you're interested in David's paintings, please contact him via phone
+49 (0) 6221-161478 or email JDvdMnyn@aol.com
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 The Long Road
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From his adolescence in the Deep South to the coffeehouse circuit of early `70s LA, to Nashville and beyond, David Munyon`s life has been a musical odyssey of truly Homeric proportions. David Munyon brought up in Alabama and Georgia, as the son of a Navy officer. He was traveling from airfield-base to airfield-base. David said about it “sometimes I feel like I spent my whole childhood either packing or unpacking.” Back in his country, disillusioned from the Vietnam War, with a Vietnam trauma and a serious alcohol problem, he grabbed his guitar and did that what's in his blood namely, traveling and creating beautiful songs. David Munyon`s musical aspirations drew him to Los Angeles
After a long musical journey David Munyon (52) did get the attention of the Hicks Brothers are two pleasant hard working guys from Sacramento, California. The Hicks Brothers put together their last dollars, to realize the release of David's debut album called “Code Name: Jumper”. Bruce Hicks about that time “it has been a long hard struggle at that time Glitterhouse Records did really good job keeping Munyon going.” The Hicks brothers believed in David's music, yes these things really exist. Friend and producer Greg Humphrey was involved, he used his contacts to put a band together. Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov´t Mule), Matt Rollings (Lyle Lovett), Leland Sklar (Jackson Browne, CSN&Y), Sneaky Pete
(Flying Burrito Brothers), Al Perkins (Mannassass) and Anthony Crawford (Neil Young), they all where friend and acquaintance and the most
important, they did it all fore free. The Hicks brother and their record label Los Hermanos where short on cash, to promote the Code Name: Jumper album in a proper way. The right partners and the connections where missing, Code Name: Jumper vanished. One of the 655 sold copies landed in the hands of Glitterhouse Records; they played the record a hundred times and where reviewed as an extraordinary product. Gitterhouse Records, “When you enjoying the record even when you played it a hundred times, then you can speak about an extraordinary record.” After a few telephone calls the deal with Gitterhouse was made, until the day of today it seems to be a perfect deal.
David also recorded a number of excellent albums for the German label Stockfisch Records. In the period 1995 and 1997, owner Günter Pauler recorded more then 60 songs in his excellent studio in Northeim. David did sit down and put his reading glasses on. He opened his big book with four or five hundred songs in it and begun to play. 24 naked songs you can find on the Glitterhouse Records mail order only released CD’s “Stories From The Curve” and “Down To The Wire”. 25 where documented on his recent on Stockfisch Records released CD’s “More Songs for Planet Earth” and “Seven Leaves in a Blue Bowl of Water”.
In 1998 David suddenly disappears from the European music scene and finds himself recording the local studio of Steve Clayton's Rayven Audio in Dothan, Alabama. “Songs From The Mobile Home”, From The Shade Of The Big Mamosa”and Two Billion Banjo-blues” are CDR’s david cuts by himself. The discs are apparently burned one at a time as the need arises. David signs every one, and contributes money from each sale to several charities and religious organizations, even though he himself is never far from the poverty line.
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How I discovered David
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It was on our vacation in Turkey (Marmaris) in the summer of 94 as my auditory organs for the first time take a notice of the clear ringing voice of David Munyon. It was in a bar called The Red Parrot, a very friendly bar located on the boulevard of Marmaris. Could you tell me please what record you are playing now, I ask the bartender? He did not know, and he showed me the CD. It was a track on the collector CD of Glitterhouse called the “Speed of the Sound Of Loneliness”. The song that hit me was “Earl's Song”. If you here the music and the lyrics from this song you can understand what's worth to have friends and family around.
At the same evening there was an acoustic guitar player, he played some covers from Bob Dylan and, as I later discovered, songs from David. Because I sometimes also play acoustic guitar, I asked the guitar player for a drink. His name was Manfred he was coming from Kleve (Germany) a town near by my hometown Millingen aan de Rijn. We talked the whole evening about the music we liked. I was speechless of his knowledge about the music of David. Manfred stayed in Turkey and we took of for Holland. I never heard from Manfred again, so Manfred if you reading this page please E-mail me. The second day we arrived in Holland I did buy the Code Name: Jumper CD.
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Tour Dates
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If you would like to book David please phone Roger Morrish at Mobile Home Records in London/UK
Phone: +44(0)20-83731524
Mobile: +44(0)7840-347041
E-mail: digitage@aol.com
You also can phone David directly in Germany.
Mobile: +49(0)178-6070902
E-mail: jdvdmnyn@aol.com
Use the same contact if you want to have an original oil-painting by David Munyon.
- Sun, Jul 13, 2008 - "The Joogleberry Playhouse", Brighton
- Tue, Jul 15, 2008 - "St. John's Church", Farncombe, Surrey
- Wed, Jul 16, 2008 - "The Builders Arms", New Barnet, Herts
- Sun, Jul 20, 2008 - "Twickenham Folk Club", Twickenham
- Wed, Jul 23, 2008 - "Green Note", London (Camden)
- Sat, Jul 26, 2008 - "The Waiting Rooms", London (Palmers Green)
More coming soon
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David at YouTube & MySpace
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Some quotes about David
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- This guy works harder than any Musician I've ever seen. Leon Russell
- He’s a Blues man, and a Folkie, and a Rocker, and he's my friend. Warren Haynes
- David is a Preacher. Johnny Cash
- I met him once, I almost recorded one of his songs, but they were too long. Willie Nelson
- David isn't much of a mechanic, he's kinda lazy and he talks to his dogs and cats and is always dreaming of World Peace. M. Gandhi
- David's songs are pretty good, we have the same Birthday, August 19th. President Bill Clinton
- David Munyon... I guess one word to explain David would be "Songwriter”. Jesus
- David? I truly love him... he will never be perfect, as there was only one "perfect" on this Planet, still I love him, don't let him near any computers or telephones, he loves to send e-mails and talks forever on the telephone" other than that, we all love him ... and I think he loves all of us, this is what keeps him running, his love for everyone on The Planet. his wife, Dixie Blue
- David Munyon? I think he owes me money! Townes Van Zandt
- He's a great songwriter and singer; I think he's still trying' to quit smoking. John Prine
- David's pretty good.... I hope he lives to be 100, like me. Bob Hope
Forrest Gump
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Links
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© 1996 J.T.M. Janssen - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Last update: Jul 11, 2008
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