Beyond the Music with Laura:  Louisville’s Bourbon & Beyond Opens with Dave Cavalier

Being a journalist who has been on the other side of the music industry, it is rare to come across an artist who is still doing the groundwork that initially got them where they are today, out of choice rather than necessity.  Dave Cavalier is a rare breed of talented songwriter, gritty vocalist as well as impassioned musician, who with all his success to date, takes none of that for granted and does not rely on others to make his own phone calls or send his own emails, if there is something he is interested in being a part of.  That speaks volumes in a world where everywhere you turn, someone feels entitled to something with no effort being put in.  Cavalier is the furthest from an entitled artist. 

I must be completely honest and say that I had not heard of Cavalier prior to his email requesting an interview during Bourbon & Beyond.  I was trying to arrange my schedule to see if I could fit him into the day and I stopped and realized that this was not an email from a PR firm, a label or management office.  This was an email directly from Cavalier personally.  He had forwarded all his information including biography, album, photos, and links to all social media and website.  I was stunned, to say the least, and by this point intrigued to meet him and if nothing else, make sure he is aware of how much I appreciate his personal involvement in his own career. 

Once I finally had the chance to talk with Cavalier, it was clear that this was no ordinary, run of the mill artist.  Watch our interview so you can see for yourself what an amazing guy this is and why, after learning more about him, I knew we had to talk. 

Cavalier, who grew up in Chicago with a mother who sang and loved Chicago blues and a father who played guitar and owned a music store, was constantly surrounded by music from a very young age.  He moved to California at the age of 23 and became an instant must-see in Hollywood’s local music scene.  Soon, Cavalier began touring nationally for more than two years as a guitarist for STAMPS, the electro-pop rock duo. 

In 2014, Cavalier’s passion for writing, singing and arranging music with his own sound and influences brought him into the famed studio, EastWest Studios, where he recorded his debut solo EP, HOWL, with the help of GRAMMY-nominated Producer, Hal Winer, which was released his EP in 2015 as an independent artist.

Cavalier has performed with names such as Don Henley, Kendrick Lamar, and Aloe Blacc, with many others while being compared to modern day bluesman Gary Clark, Jr., and even Jimi Hendrix.  While those are big shoes to fill, Cavalier who opened the first annual Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville, Kentucky, seems unfazed by the hype surrounding this slot on his resume.  He simply stays true to himself, playing, writing and performing his music, his way. 

Watch our conversation and listen to what Cavalier says about crowd size and how whether it is one or one-hundred, the performance does not change. 

Make sure you check out Cavalier’s social media and his website so you can keep up with all that he has going on and be sure to purchase his album, Howl, as well as attending a live performance. 

I look forward to watching this artists’ career continue to soar and cannot wait to head to California, as he has an open invitation for us to hang out with him when we are in town, so stay tuned to see what mischief we can cause around L.A.

A few final words on Cavalier; humble attitude, thankful mannerisms mixed with a room-filling presence, heart-grabbing songwriting, gritty rich vocals, along with a high energy, and leave it all on the stage performances makes this artist one to watch and follow closely.