David Ramirez in Concert
David Ramirez's pensive Americana captures the feeling of long, lonesome days and dark, restless nights — many of which he's spent on the road, tirelessly touring the country. The Texas singer-songwriter has found solace in his guitar since he first picked up a six-string as a teenager in Houston. Soon after learning some chords, he formed a band with friends and they played their first gig at a neighborhood pool. He was immediately hooked to the idea of being a musician, and he's embraced the lifestyle ever since.
It wasn't until college, when Ramirez discovered the music of Ryan Adams, that he was inspired to experiment with folk music. He immersed himself in the genre, taking cues from legends like Bob Dylan, and released his first album — 11503 Lansbury — in 2005. Soon after, he formed the David Ramirez Band and dropped two more records: Human and 2007's While Underneath Lights. He realized a solo career was what he craved, so he packed up his bags and his acoustic guitar and headed to Nashville.
Not long after, though, he made his way back to his home state. This time he went to Austin, where he began self-producing and self-releasing a string of EPs and albums, starting with 2009's American Soil and including 2012's Apologies, which landed at No. 2 on iTunes' Singer-Songwriter charts and No. 23 on the Billboard Folk chart. In between, he could mostly be found on the road, enchanting fans with his rich, brooding melodies.
He returned in 2015 with Fables and then spent the following year on his Bootleg Tour, which offered a unique experience to fans in each city Ramirez visited. Every show was special — complete with a different setlist, and sometimes a special guest or two — and recorded in full. Those recordings were then downloaded and sent to every ticket buyer the following day, capturing the essence of old-school bootlegs.
After this tour, Ramirez headed back into the studio for 2017's We're Not Going Anywhere, a politically fueled set lined with touches of 1980s pop. It's a sound that adds a little extra spice to his live show. And just as well, as he continues clocking in plenty of miles around the U.S. and Europe, offering a unique experience at each destination.
