1) Dave Carter… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name, including:
1) Dave Carter (born on 13 August 1952; died 19 July 2002) was an American folk singer and songwriter;
2) Dave Carter is an American trumpet player from Seattle currently based in the San Francisco Bay area.
1) Dave Carter (born on 13 August 1952; died 19 July 2002) was an American folk singer and songwriter who self-described his style as "post-modern mythic American folk music." He was one half of the duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. The duo were being heralded as the new "voice of modern folk music" in the months before Carter's unexpected death in July 2002.[1] They were ranked as number one on the year-end list for "Top Artists" on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart for 2001 and 2002, and their popularity has endured in the years following Carter's death. [2] Joan Baez who went on tour with the duo in 2001 spoke of Carter's songs in the same terms that she once used to promote a young Bob Dylan:
"There is a special gift for writing songs that are available to other people, and Dave's songs are very available to me. It's a kind of genius, you know, and Dylan has the biggest case of it. But I hear it in Dave's songs, too.
Carter's songs were often noted for their poetic imagery, spirituality and storytelling while retaining connection to the country music of his southern American upbringing. Carter's memory has been kept alive by his many admirers, most notably his former partner. Tracy Grammer has continued to introduce previously unrecorded songs and recordings that the duo were working on prior to Carter's death.
Early life and education
Dave Carter was born in Oxnard, California. His father was a mathematician and a petroleum engineer and his mother was a science teacher and a charismatic Christian.[3] Carter was raised in Oklahoma and Texas and would draw on his rural upbringing in many of his songs. He studied classical piano from age 4 to about age 12, when he took up guitar. At 17, he left home to hitchhike around the country, especially the Midwestern United States (Great Plains area). After graduating with degrees in music (cello) and fine arts from the University of Oklahoma, he moved to Portland, Oregon, where he continued his education at Portland State University, earning a degree in mathematics. He began an advanced degree in mathematics, but a personal epiphany led him to realize that this was not to be his field.[4] He went on to study what he called "the psychology of mystical experience" at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto and the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco,[3] and worked as an embedded systems programmer for several years before taking up music full-time in the mid-1990s. Carter was greatly influenced by mythologist Joseph Campbell, who visited his college, and American mystic Carlos Castaneda. He was also influenced by the American landscape, Arthurian mythology, the environment, and transcendental psychology.
Partnership with Tracy Grammer
Prior to his death, Carter released three albums with Grammer: When I Go (1998); Tanglewood Tree (2000); and Drum Hat Buddha (2001). The duo also re-recorded many of the songs from Snake Handlin' Man, plus two previously unrecorded songs in early 2002. The CD, called Seven is the Number, was released in 2006.
Death and tributes
Carter died of a massive heart attack Friday July 19, 2002 in a hotel room in Hadley, Massachusetts[5] after returning from an early morning run.[6] He and Grammer were slated to play that weekend at the Green River Festival in Greenfield[7] and were booked that summer to play many of the nation's top folk festivals and folk clubs. He was 49. Carter's death came as a great shock to the folk music community. Tracy Grammer gave her account of Carter's final moments in a letter to fans:
"Yesterday, shortly after he went unconscious, he came back for a lucid minute to two to tell me, 'I just died... Baby, I just died...' There was a look of wonder in his eyes, and though I cried and tried to deny it to him, I knew he was right and he was on his way. He stayed with me a minute more but despite my attempts to keep him with me, I could see he was already riding that thin chiffon wave between here and gone. He loved beauty, he was hopelessly drawn to the magic and the light in all things. I figure he saw something he could not resist out of the corner of his eye and flew into it. Despite the fact that every rescue attempt was made by paramedics and hospital staff and the death pronouncement officially came at 12:08 pm Eastern Time, I believe he died in my arms in our favorite hotel, leaving me with those final words. That's the true story I am going to tell."
Many had predicted that the duo was destined for success beyond the typical folk music circles. Jim Olson, president of Carter's record label, Signature Sounds, said, "I always believed it would only take one cover by a major star to unveil his work to the rest of the world; and I was convinced that was going to happen. Somebody was going to open the door for them; and the thing about Dave's music is that once people heard it, they became lifelong fans."[9] Fellow folksinger and journalist Matt Watroba wrote, "It would make sense at this point, to say that Dave Carter was on the verge of something big. The truth, however, is that Dave was something big already. He moved the people lucky enough to know him or his music in a way that has launched an outpouring of tributes, memories and love."
Grammer decided to keep the duo's appointment to play the 2002 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival the following week and a tribute concert was arranged.[11] The tribute included performances by a number of Carter's admirers singing his songs. Highlights included Chris Smither's cover of "Crocodile Man", Mark Erelli singing "Cowboy Singer", a rendition of "Happytown" by The Kennedys, and "Farewell to Saint Dolores" by Eddie From Ohio. Grammer herself opened the show with "The Mountain" and closed with "Gentle Soldier of My Soul". Several artist have since written tributes in Carter's honor (see below) and in 2005 Grammer released Flower of Avalon, including nine previously unrecorded songs by Carter.
Dave Carter's songs have been covered by many others, perhaps most notably by Joan Baez ("The Mountain") and by Lucy Kaplansky ("Cowboy Singer") and Chris Smither ("Crocodile Man"). Tributes to him following his death were written by Tracy Grammer ("The Verdant Mile") and Richard Shindell ("So Says the Whippoorwill"), among others.
One song, "Gentle Arms of Eden", was added to the hymnal in at least one Unitarian Universalist congregation, and also serves as the theme to a documentary on the rebuilding of New York City after 9/11. More of his songs were recorded by Tracy Grammer on her 2005 album Flower of Avalon.
Discography
* Snake Handlin' Man, Dave Carter (self-release, 1995)
* When I Go, Dave Carter with Tracy Grammer (self-release 1998, Signature Sounds 2002)
* Tanglewood Tree, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (Signature Sounds, 2000)
* Drum Hat Buddha, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer (Signature Sounds, 2001)
* Seven is the Number Dave Carter and Tracy Gammer (Tracy Grammer Music, 2006)
Covers
Songs written by Dave Carter performed by other artists:
* Flower of Avalon (Signature Sounds, 2005), Tracy Grammer, includes nine previously unrecorded Dave Carter songs.
* "The Mountain", in 2001 concerts, Joan Baez
* "The River Where She Sleeps", from A Crooked Line (2001), Darryl Purpose
* "Tanglewood Tree", from Clearwater (2002), Chris and Meredith Thompson
* "Crocodile Man", from Train Home (Hightone Records, 2003), Chris Smither
* "Farewell to St. Dolores", Gambling Eden (2003), Rani Arbo
* "Gentle Arms of Eden", from Temporary Stay (2003), Pat Wictor
* "Gentle Arms of Eden", from Side of the Road (2003), Ellis Paul and Vance Gilbert
* "Walking Away from Caroline, from God's Poet Now, (2003, EP to benefit the Dave Carter Memorial Fund), Erik Balkey
* "Cat Eye Willie Claims His Lover", from Sweet Mystery of Life (2004), Full Frontal Folk
* "Cowboy Singer", from The Red Thread (Red House Records, 2004), Lucy Kaplansky
* "Gentle Soldier of My Soul", from Paintbrush (2004), Diane Zeigler
* "The Mountain", LIVE (2004), Chris and Meredith Thompson
* "Quickdraw Southpaw's Last Hurrah", from One Horse Town (2005), Jim Henry
* "When I Go", from Bristlecone Pine (2006), Bryan Bowers
* "Happytown (It's Alright with Me)" and "Gypsy Rose", from Songs of the Open Road (Appleseed Recordings, 2006), The Kennedys [14]
* "When I Go", from Heaven is So High and I'm So Far Down (RiskyDisk, 2006), Pat Wictor
* "Gun Metal Eyes", from Liberty Tree (Songs from the Kitchen Table) (2007?), Mission Street Project
* "Kate and the Ghost of Lost Love", from Open The Gate (2007) Sense of Wonder
* "When I Go" from Live (2003), Ronny Cox
Tributes
Songs written by other artists as tributes to Dave Carter:
* "The Verdant Mile", from The Verdant Mile (Tracy Grammer Music, 2004), Tracy Grammer
* "Between Here and Gone," from Between Here and Gone (2004) Mary Chapin Carpenter
* "Friend of the Coyote", from Kickin' This Stone (2004), Johnsmith
* "So Says the Whippoorwill", from Vuelta (Signature Sounds, 2004), Richard Shindell
* "God's Poet Now", from God's Poet Now (2003), Erik Balkey
* "Wheel Inside the Wheel", from Mercy Now (2004), Mary Gauthier
* "Tribute", from From the Hazel Tree (written 2002, recorded 2004), written by Catherine Faber, recorded by Echo's Children
* "I Shall Not Look Away", from Tiger Tatoo (Waterbug Records, 2002), Andrew Calhoun
* "Willow", from Open The Gate (2007) Sense of Wonder
* "Dave's Song", from White Bird (2003), Emily Kurn
* "Oklahoma Spirit Guide", from Spirit Guide (2006, Redbud Hill), Randy Auxier
2) Dave Carter is an American trumpet player from Seattle currently based in the San Francisco Bay area. He has been a member of the The Barrett Martin Group, Fontanelle, Zony Mash + Horns, Tuatara, and Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet. His solo album "Commitment and Change" includes the piano work of John Rangel, upright bass of Luis Guerra, and vibes/percussion/drum set work of Barrett Martin (who also co-produced).
The Mountain
Dave Carter Lyrics
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Raised up by merchants and drugstore liars.
Now I walk on the paths of glory,
One foot in ice, one in fire.
I see the mountain, the mountain comes to me,
I see the mountain and that is all I see.
Some lay him down in a junkyard bay.
Some will chase us and some will call us,
Gone, gone, gone in a day.
Gone to the mountain, the mountain comes to me,
I see the mountain and that is all I see.
Miller take me and miller grind me,
Scatter by bones on the wild green tide.
Maybe some roving bird will find me,
Over the water we'll ride.
Over the mountain, the mountain comes to me,
I see the mountain and that is all I see.
Some build temples and some find altars,
Some come in tall hats and robes spun fine.
Some in rags, some in gemstone halters,
Some push the pegs back in line.
I see the mountain, the mountain comes to me,
I see the mountain and that is all I see.
The song "The Mountain" by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer is a beautiful and haunting ballad that speaks to the cyclical nature of life and the quest for personal fulfillment. The lyrics are enigmatic and open to interpretation, but one possible reading is that the singer is reflecting on their past and present experiences, which have been shaped by the lies and illusions of society. They have sought solace and meaning by turning to the mountain, which can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment or personal growth. However, the mountain is both a source of inspiration and a reminder of the transient nature of existence, as everything and everyone eventually fades away. The singer acknowledges this fact but still finds comfort in the beauty and majesty of the mountain, which is eternal and unchanging.
The imagery in the song is rich and poetic, with lines that evoke both the beauty and the harshness of nature. The use of opposites ("ice" and "fire," "rags" and "gemstone halters") creates a sense of tension and contrast that underscores the theme of duality. The repeated refrain of "I see the mountain, and that is all I see" reinforces the idea that the mountain is a singular focus for the singer, a fixed point in an otherwise uncertain world.
Overall, "The Mountain" is a deeply moving song that captures the essence of the human condition. It speaks to our longing for meaning and our awareness of the fleeting nature of life, but also reminds us of the power of nature to inspire and sustain us.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born in a forked-tongued story,
The circumstances of my upbringing were deceitful and untrustworthy.
Raised up by merchants and drugstore liars.
I was brought up by unscrupulous and dishonest individuals who profited from lies and deceit.
Now I walk on the paths of glory,
Despite my difficult upbringing, I have found success and have achieved great things.
One foot in ice, one in fire.
Even though I'm successful, I still face challenges and struggles that I must overcome.
I see the mountain, the mountain comes to me,
I am constantly faced with challenges and obstacles that I must overcome.
I see the mountain and that is all I see.
No matter what else is going on in my life, the challenges ahead are always at the forefront of my mind.
Some poor prophet comes, some find solace,
People find comfort in different things and may look to others for guidance and inspiration.
Some lay him down in a junkyard bay.
Unfortunately, some people who have the potential to lead may not be recognized or appreciated.
Some will chase us and some will call us,
We will encounter people who will either support or oppose us on our journey.
Gone, gone, gone in a day.
People and circumstances can change quickly and unexpectedly.
Miller take me and miller grind me,
I am willing to sacrifice myself for a greater purpose.
Scatter by bones on the wild green tide.
My remains may be scattered, but my memory and spirit will live on.
Maybe some roving bird will find me,
My legacy may be discovered by someone unexpected or in an unexpected way.
Over the water we'll ride.
My journey may continue beyond this life and into the afterlife.
Some build temples and some find altars,
People find meaning and purpose in different ways and may seek out different paths to enlightenment.
Some come in tall hats and robes spun fine.
People may present themselves in certain ways to project an image of authority or wisdom.
Some in rags, some in gemstone halters,
Status and wealth do not necessarily determine one's worth or ability to provide wisdom or guidance.
Some push the pegs back in line.
Some people resist change and seek to maintain the status quo in the face of progress or new ideas.
Lyrics © DAVID ROBERT CARTER
Written by: SIMON CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind