David Morris sent along this report on yesterday’s memorial service for the recently deceased resonator guitar master, Dave Giegerich.
A who’s who of the Maryland/Washington D.C./Northern Virginia music scene turned out Saturday in Baltimore for a memorial service for Dave Giegerich, who died a few weeks back at the age of 57.
Tom Gray, Mike Auldridge, Mark Schatz and Mike Mumford were among the more than 400 in the standing-room only crowd at the Maryland State Boychoir Center for the Arts.
But many others were just starting out in music, perhaps sharing a lesson or two with the talented Dobro player, or were fans who had simply enjoyed his music. One man standing in a long line to enter the service said he hadn’t known Dave all that well but felt obliged to attend because Dave “always made you feel like you were his best friend.”
There were many knowing nods in the crowd as band leader Bob Perilla started the service with a simple but telling statement: “All musicians wanted Dave on the gig.” There were many amazing musical moments. But the most poignant came when Dave’s son, Carter, played Isa Lei, a song of love and farewell from Fiji, on the Dobro. Carter, an accomplished mandolinist who studies bluegrass at East Tennessee State University, has only played the resonator for a few months, but you’d never know that from the sound he produced.
The service was followed by a meal and, of course, more music. There was a fine band on stage, but the best tributes to Dave Giegerich were found in the jams in hallways and on the landings. One group played clarinet-infused jazz, another played Hawaiian music and others offered up bluegrass and old time, mirroring the varied musical interests of the man they were remembering.
In a physical sense, Dave Giegerich is gone. But it was clear in those hallways that his song will always be in the wind.
More tribute for recently deceased reso wizard Dave Giegerich, this time from fellow slider Cindy Cashdollar.
I met Dave years ago at The Common Ground, where we were scheduled to teach a workshop together.
I was not only struck by his amazing musicianship, but also by his wonderful teaching ability.
I always looked forward to sharing workshops with him at ResoSummit, and loved his great sense of humor as well. His passing is a huge loss to all, and my heart goes out to his family, friends, fans and students.
Gary Ferguson sent along a few more thoughts on the passing of resonator guitarist Dave Giegerich earlier this week. It’s a beautiful tribute to a beloved artist.
As I write this, I find myself still stunned at the news of Dave’s passing. I thought that somehow he would overcome this latest setback, as he had overcome so many in the past few years. Through sheer willpower, the skill of his medical team, the love of his many friends and family members, or the unfailing support of his wife, Pam, sons Axel and Carter and his brother, Steve, we hoped and prayed he would find a way. But to our great sorrow, there was no way this time.
Dave gave us so many gifts over the years. Through his music, he touched us with his performances, teaching and recordings. His unique style on dobro and steel guitar – and versatile approaches to bluegrass, country, swing, roots and traditional Hawaiian music earned the respect and admiration of professionals here and abroad. Accordingly, he was regularly invited to teach at major music gatherings like Ashokan, Common Ground, Augusta, and the ResoSummit in Nashville. He was also in high demand as a sideman and often played with multiple bands over the course of a few days.
Dave taught himself to play dobro while a student at Michigan State, using an old guitar with a pencil to raise the strings. After moving to Virginia, he played bluegrass in a number of bands, including Stoney Point, the Jimmy Arnold Band and Bill Harrell and the Virginians.
After his sons were born, he left the world of full-time music but remained active in the Baltimore-Washington area, expanding his musical repertoire to include swing, Hawaiian, country and blues. In 1988, he co-founded the Hula Monsters, playing a mix of swing, Hawaiian and American Roots music.
Dave was a sought-after session player, with contributions to more than 70 albums and CDs, including his own solo collection, Slide-Tracked. He performed or recorded with a number of great artists including Eva Cassidy, Pam Tillis, Bill Kirchen, Mike Auldridge, Johnny Gimbel, Robin and Linda Williams, John Starling, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Randy Kohrs, Commander Cody, Mac Wiseman, Cracker, Bobby Hicks and the Red Stick Ramblers. In recent months, he graced recordings by his newest band, East of Monroe.
Dave’s reputation as a sideman with tasteful backup licks and understated stage humor landed him on stages from the White House to Lincoln Center. He played festivals all over the United States, Canada and Europe. Lauded by his peers, Dave won 11 Wammies – the annual awards presented by the Washington Area Music Association – in the Bluegrass, Country and World Music categories.
He played at countless clubs, weddings, parties, dances and festivals over the years and brought the same level of skill and daring to every gig. I had the privilege of playing with Dave for many years and I count each time as special. As those who knew him can imagine, gigs with Dave were tremendous fun – due to his wonderful wit, his fabulous musicianship and the pure joy he derived from the music. What a blast to stand at his side and hear him play! Countless times, we were left breathless by the agility of an imaginative solo, the tastefulness of a perfect fill, or something simple, quiet and elegant. Dave always had the right touch and inspired the rest of us to do our best as well. A consummate musician, Dave loved to play – and played till the end; continuing to record in his studio at home when his health no longer permitted him to perform in public.
More than that, however, Dave was a loving and devoted family man and a caring and generous friend – always ready with a kind word or gesture, or some of his legendary humor. He had an uncommon gift for making everyone around him feel important. All who knew him speak of what a wonderful person he was, of the laughter they enjoyed together and of how great a loss this is to all of us. I am so thankful to Dave for all that he shared with me. We will miss him terribly.
To Dave’s wife, Pam, I would like to express my appreciation and admiration – not only for the care and support you provided to Dave, but for the thoughtful way in which you kept all of us informed during the most difficult moments of your long ordeal. We hung on every word and prayed as hard as we could. You have a great many fans and we thank you for your tireless efforts.
Your collective example was remarkable – with humor, determination, an eye toward the future and a down to earth practicality rarely seen in such situations – you lifted all of us up when it should have been the other way around. I will always remember that and hope that when my time comes, I can exhibit a fraction of the courage you have shown.
When one reads tributes to Dave, it is striking how similar they are – referring to the way he brought smiles to our faces and joy to our hearts through his music, his intelligence, his humor, his friendship and his humanity. He made the world a better place and we are lucky to have known him.
We are saddened to report that Dave Giegerich, noted resonator guitarist and instructor, passed away on December 29 from complications following a bone marrow transplant this spring. The transplant was in response to a diagnosis of aplastic anemia, which was discovered earlier this year after successful therapy to treat his neck cancer.
Dave’s career in music spans more than 30 years, and he first came to prominence when he moved to Fredericksburg, VA in the late 1970s from Michigan. He was quickly embraced by the bluegrass scene in DC and northern Virginia, which was the vital center of the east coast bluegrass world at the time. After their marriage, he and his wife Pam moved to Maryland where he continued to turn heads with his playing.
I can personally recall being wowed by his energetic picking in the ’70s and early 80s. Dave was among the very first resophones to embrace the then-radical melodic style that Jerry Douglas had pioneered, and his work with such fellow virtuosi as Jimmy Arnold and Bobby Hicks was memorable for those who heard it.
Here’s a recent video with his version of Steel Guitar Rag.
Giegerich served primarily in the sideman role, both on acoustic resonator guitar and electric steel. He worked for a time with Bill Harrell, and had been a member of Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa in recent years. He also had his own group, The Hula Monsters, who played a unique mix of swing, Hawaiian, country and blues music.
Mark Newton knew Dave from the time they both lived in Virginia…
“I guess I first met Dave in ’78 (ish) when he moved to Fredericksburg, and we connected right away. Not sure why he came, but it seems that he had family here working at the paper (Free Lance Star). We all got together to pick regularly at his place as we were all just finding our way musically and as individuals.
He was to have been an original member of The Virginia Squires, and rehearsed with us many times, though we eventually decided to go with a 4 piece format.
Learning of his death took me right back to those days…. I feel like I have lost a brother.”
The dobro community has been understandably distraught by the news of Giegerich’s death. Mike Auldridge knew him well.
“Dave was simply the best, in every way. We met when he became a student of mine over 20 years ago. We became great friends, teaching classes together several times. I was impressed by his enormous talent from the first moment I met him, and equally impressed by his kindness and gentle spirit over the course of our long friendship. The tragedy of his passing at such a young age saddens me more than words can express… I will forever miss him.”
“I never really knew Dave very well, but I remember the very first time I ever heard him play, and it totally blew my socks off. So many players these days that sound like other players, but Dave had his own style. Very fresh, very inventive, very tasteful. An awesome voice on the resonator guitar has been lost with the passing of Dave Giegerich”
Betty Wheeler, entertainment attorney and co-producer of the annual ResoSummit in Nashville – and friend to every reso guitarist who ever slid a bar – remembers Dave’s dedication.
“He was a highly-regarded teacher, including at ResoSummit in 2008 and 2009, where he won strong reviews for effective teaching, and his mastery of Hawaiian, swing, and blues styles as well as bluegrass music. After each evening’s Station Inn performances, he could be found participating in the students’ after-hours jams deep into the night.
For me, one of the all-time highlights of ResoSummit was hearing him play a duo with Randy Kohrs at the opening session the first year he was on faculty. I’ll never forget the incredible creativity and highly personal voice that he brought to the dobro, and the joy that infused his music.”
Randy Kohrs also took a moment to mourn Dave’s passing…
“I was sad to hear that the world lost a treasure to the resonator guitar community yesterday. Although I didn’t know Dave as well as I would have liked to, I am a huge admirer of his music. I was absolutely thrilled and honored when we were paired together to perform a duet during ResoSummit last year. Dave’s playing was the talk of the whole weekend among all the reso-enthusiasts.
On a more personal level, he was a champ of a guy and I truly enjoyed the time that I was able to spend around him. My sincere condolences go out to his wife, Pam, and their family.”
“Dave was an integral part of Resosummit. He was very passionate about the Dobro and always took extra time to share his talents with the students. There were many times when after a long day of teaching, he would stay up late into the night jamming with the students and sharing his knowledge and love for the instrument.
He knew a lot of different styles, from Hawaiian to blues and bluegrass, plus he was a great communicator and was always one of our most requested instructors.
Dave had emailed over the summer that he wouldn’t be able to make it to teach at ResoSummit 2010, and I told him we would be holding a spot for him next year. I knew that he had beaten cancer a few years ago, and was hoping that he could beat this as well.
But he was always so positive. He told me, ‘I’m in quarantine, but at least I have plenty of time to practice!’ He just loved to play so much.
Dave will be sorely missed, but we are grateful for the opportunity of working with such a special musician.”
Gary Ferguson knew Giegerich from the DC circuit, doing shows together and playing together at jams. Dave alos provided resonator guitar for the album Gary did with Sally Love, Our Old Home, released in 2002.
“Dave was one of those guys that was always fun to work with. Very talented… very funny… always a big smile with a corny joke now and then. He is one of those guys that I have never heard anyone say anything bad about. Everyone that I ever heard talk about him always had something good to say. He will be sorely missed by the music community. He was much more than a bluegrass player. He loved swing and Hawaiian music as well as other genres.”
Many others on reso message boards have shared that Dave was not just a first rate musician, but a kind-hearted and amiable person as well. His sense of humor and sweetness of disposition have been mentioned repeatedly.
Dave also did shows with Mac Wiseman some years ago, and most certainly performed Mac’s classic number, ‘Tis Sweet To Be Remembered, on more than one occasion. Seeing how fondly Giegerich is recalled by his musical peers shows just how much truth is told in that song.
