Dave Keller is one of the finest soul and blues men of his generation.  He is the 2012 winner of the Best Self-Produced CD award at the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN.   About.com recently said, "Dave Keller is gonna be huge!", and it's starting to seem that way. 

In 2009, after being discoverd by legendary guitarist Ronnie Earl, Keller appeared as a singer and co-writer on Earl's BMA-nominated CD, Living In the Light.  Next, blues and soul fans got to hear Keller with his own band on his all-original critically-acclaimed release Play for Love (Sept. 2009).  In Oct. 2011, Keller released his latest gem: Where I'm Coming From, an album of deep soul songs recorded with The Revelations, one of the hottest soul bands on the scene today.  Produced by Bob Perry (Wu-Tang Clan, 50 Cent, Brian McNight, Foxy Brown), the new CD is garnering some serious attention.  It even includes a duet with acclaimed soul singer Tre' Williiams.

With all this forward momentum, Keller has hit the road even harder, with shows in NYC (Southpaw, Hill Country BBQ), Philly (World Cafe), Boston (Johnny D's, Harper's Ferry, Beehive, Berklee's Cafe 939), RI (Chan's), CT (Bridge St. Live), all over VT and NH, and festival work from ME to PA.  In the past year, Keller has performed with Ronnie Earl, Otis Clay, The Revelations featuring Tre' Williams, Darrell Nulisch, Dwight Ritcher (of Dwight and Nicole), and Jesse Dee.  He recently opened for soul legend Swamp Dogg, and has toured the northeast backing Johnny Rawls, BMA winner of best soul album of 2010.

Far from an overnight success, Keller has paid his dues the old fashioned way: performing at hundreds of venues, and giving every show his all, for over close to 20 years.  

At sweaty, dirt road bars.  At huge summer festivals.  At jam-packed dance clubs, city halls, college theaters, prison gymnasiums, and blues cruises. You name it. Chances are Keller has played there. And chances are those audiences still remember dancing like crazy to his deep soul singing, his gritty guitar licks, and his super-tight, super-funky band.

When Keller moved to the Green Mountain state (that's Vermont, y'all) in 1993, he had already spent many years learning his trade. Growing up in Worcester, MA, he picked up guitar in his teens, before falling for the blues and starting his own band in 1988, covering songs by B.B. King, Otis Rush, and the Neville Brothers. Soon after, Keller moved to Boston. Weekend nights found him backing up Reggie Taylor, an older blues/R&B musician who himself had backed up many a blues legend. Weekdays Keller hung out with acoustic blues master Paul Rishell, learning the roots of the blues. Weekend afternoons Keller put his skills to use, sitting in at blues jams throughout the city.

Eventually Keller tired of city life and moved to rural Washington state. There he decided to take up singing and songwriting. With few other blues musicians around, he immersed himself in homemade tapes of Ray Charles, Son House, and gospel quartets from the forties and fifties.

By 1993, when Keller moved to Vermont, his singing and playing had taken on a new depth. He began playing solo shows with his National steel guitar, garnered a loyal following, and released a cassette of acoustic blues originals and covers (Deep Down in My Soul).  By 1996, Keller had put together a band, and began touring throughout the northeast.  Since then, he has released three all-original CDs on his own label, Tastee-Tone Records: Faith (1998), Down at the Aloha (2001), and Play for Love (2009).

Along the way, Keller has garnered excellent reviews from the U.S. blues magazines and bloggers, received airplay on over 200 radio stations (making it to #8 on Roots Music Report's blues chart), and picked up accolades from fellow musicians including deep soul legend Mighty Sam McClain, who isn't shy about telling the world, "Y'all check him out! He's for REAL!"

Keller keeps up a heavy performance schedule, touring with The Dave Keller Band: Ira Friedman on Hammond organ, Brett Hoffman on drums, and Giovanni Rovetto on bass.  He has also had the honor of backing up soul and blues greats including: Fontella Bass, Robert Ward, Ronnie Earl, Big Jack Johnson, and 2010 BMA Soul Artist of the Year, Johnny Rawls. 

Thanks for taking the time to read his story.

Dave with Mississippi soulman Johnny Rawls, North Atlantic Blues Festival, Rockland, ME, July 2010