Meet Dave Lincoln | Jazz Guitarist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dave Lincoln and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dave, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had been employed by many of DFW’s top bandleaders going back to the late 1970’s and was
considered one of “the guys” in DFW on guitar when it came to covering a variety of guitar
styles: Rock, Country, Blues, Jazz, and R&B. These bandleaders slowly started to retire. I
ventured out on my own, embarking on a solo career playing jazz guitar, largely out of
necessity. It was a natural evolution of job opportunities drying up just as my inner sensibilities
were yearning for a new and different focus for my music. I believed that I could follow my heart,
and some level of success would follow. I’m humbled and amazed by how well it has worked
out, as is probably best exemplified through numerous Member’s Night performances I’ve done
at the Dallas Arboretum.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Having grown up playing Blues and Rock’ n Roll guitar, I was always drawn to musicians that
played with some “spark”, whose music projected authentic emotion and passion. Jazz guitar,
all too often, can be a bit dry and overly cerebral, particularly for people who aren’t dedicated
“jazz listeners”. I understand that people ultimately want music to help them connect with their
spirit, as an escape from a world that’s grown increasingly impersonal. I’ve forged a style of
playing jazz guitar that speaks very directly to people, that emphasizes beauty, and values
personally connecting with my listeners (whether they’re jazz fans or not). I believe that what I
project to listeners through my guitar is as much about me as a human being as it is about my
skills as a guitarist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If in Dallas, I’d probably want to take them to the Dallas Arboretum. Having played nearly ninety
performances there, I’ve grown to appreciate it as one of the most beautiful locations in this part
of the United States. For me, it’s an amazing intersection of the beauty of nature and the
meeting of the warmest people I have ever met in Texas. If someone were from some other part
of the country, I’d probably have to take them out to eat Mexican food, one of our regional
treasures. Any number of places could work, from Little Herrera’s Cafe on Illinois Ave. to any of
the number of small taquerias that could be found around town.

Instagram: dave_lincoln_

Youtube: @DaveLincoln

Image Credits
Sil Azevedo for one of the Arboretum shots