By Ben Dungan
It wasn’t all that long ago, that David Childers and his band, The Modern Don Juans, played their last show. In fact, it’s only been a little over three years.
Fast forward to the present, and the Mount Holly native is in a different place than he was at the end of 2007. The grind of constant touring and playing took its toll on Childers. And even more importantly, it wasn’t fun anymore.
Striving to make a living in the music business is not for the faint of heart. It may have its ups (like when you’re on stage), but it most definitely has its downs, too. It’s like the title of the album that the Texas-based musician Alejandro Escovedo released many years ago – more miles than money.
After releasing Glorious Day with his new band, The Over Mountainmen, back in early 2010, Childers and the band are back in the studio working on new material. There is even plans for a Christmas-themed record as well.
That’s a full load for a guy who not long ago was taking a break from music. But was it the music he needed to take a break from? Or did he need a break from all of the stuff that comes with making music your full-time job.
For Childers, that crossroad came at the end of 2007. Since then, he cites the reason for his renewed passion for the music is due to an attitude change. And it’s apparent. In a recent email exchange with me, Childers told me that he seldom, if ever, takes any money from music or art as he sees it as its own reward. He calls it “a gift from God and his angels”.
It’s not about the music and the money any more. It’s only about the music. And you can tell by just talking to him that he means it. In his attempt to make a living out of the music, it numbed his ability to enjoy what he was doing.
By taking the money out, he can now focus a lot more on what makes him happy. After all, life is about trying to find that happy place. David Childers may not be all the way there, but he’s finally on the right path. And if he continues to write, record, and perform, we can be right there to enjoy the ride.
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David Childers will be playing The Depot at the Gaston County Museum in Dallas with his trio on Friday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.gastoncountymuseum.org/calendar.asp
