The modern singer-songwriter faces many challenges now that the traditional barriers of the music industry have been breached by the internet and sites like YouTube.  These sites allow anyone with a camera and mics to make and distribute their original material for better or worse.  The singer-songwriter has more public access but, then often quickly becomes lost on the new electronic universe so, reaching out for an audience with one’s “sound” becomes a real, persistent effort.  Add to this, most fledgling song-writers tend to produce highly introspective, subjective offerings that do not emotionally connect with anyone beyond themselves and their immediate circle of family and friends.  This is where skill and the song-writing craft must be present and they are abundantly in New York native, now living in Nashville, Dave Isaacs. 

I recently saw Dave perform at Java City on the WKU campus, to a small but enthusiastic audience.  Dave, an audio department faculty at the Art Institute of Tennessee in Nashville and a music instructor and music technology specialist in the Commercial Music Program at Tennessee State University.  Dave is the founder and artistic director of the annual TSU Guitar Summit, and is a member of the workshop faculty of the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI).  He is also an accomplished guitarist and performer as evidenced by his CD “Old King Crow” which, though only six tunes in length, packs a wide variety of talent and style that should not be missed by those interested in the genre.  Songs vary in style and theme but are consistent in lyric quality and presentation.  Check out the emotive “Fly Away Home” to the foot-stomping “Swamp Hog Blues” for a sense of Isaac’s musical scope.  Dave Isaacs reinforces the truism that the best music being made nowadays is being made by the independent professional.

About the author: Jack Montgomery is a librarian, author and Professor at Western Kentucky University where he handles bookings for musical acts in University Libraries, Java City coffeehouse. Jack has also been a professional musician since 1969 and performs with a celtic quartet called Watersprite. Visit him at MySpace/shadowdancerjack or on Facebook.