2008 Blues Music Awards Nominee: Dave Riley
"Travelin' the Dirt Road" -- Acoustic Album of the Year
Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, guitar player/singer/songwriter DAVE RILEY spent his formative years playing and singing Gospel music. He moved to Chicago's west side as a teenager living near Maxwell Street and it's vibrant Blues scene.
After joining the army he played in a military band traveling from base to base entertaining the troops and opening USO shows. In the mid-90s Riley met Blues legends Sam Carr, Frank Frost, and John Weston. They formed a friendship and a musical bond which lead Riley back to the Delta and back into Blues full time.
In the spring of 2007, Dave joined with producer/harmonic player Bob Corritore to create TRAVELIN' THE DIRT ROAD on the Blue Witch Records label. The release includes10 original tracks of powerful downhome blues including 8 Dave Riley compositions and two ("I'm Not Your Junkman" and "Doggone Blues") written by his friend (and former bandmate) the late John Weston. Dave and Bob met three years ago and quickly became fast friends and musical collaborators. They have a natural blues chemistry with Riley's gritty Mississippi vocals and downhome blues guitar and Corritore's passionate, full-toned harp playing and the result is a musical joy and exuberance all too seldom heard.
