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Born in Akron, Ohio, Davis spent his childhood listening to records from his father’s massive collection of rock, soul, and folk. These early influences emerged when he taught himself to play the guitar, and stuck when he began writing his own music in 2003. Davis's songs blend the populist traditions of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie with the contemporary acoustic soul of Elliott Smith and Ben Harper. It is music boiled down to an organic essence, one based on revelations and shared experience, not showboating. Shadows & Gardens is Davis’s fifth independent release since 2004. Collaborating with producer Tim Mooney (Mark Kozelek, American Music Club, Chuck Prophet) the album marks an evolution in sound from his earlier work. The recording process thrived on spontaneity, with much of the music recorded live and over the course of a weekend. The sonic approach and electric guitar work for the album were largely inspired by The Beatles and Velvet Underground albums of the late 1960s. The result is an organic sound that’s both eclectic and classic. Discussing the writing process for all of his albums, Davis said “songs represent moments or feelings in time and they don’t feel finished until they’ve been recorded. A big part of moving forward in my life requires capturing a collection of these moments. They represent chapters and closure.” Spontaneity remains at the heart of Davis’s recording process, ensuring that the moment in time is captured, causing his music to evolve as he does. Davis's wide range of experiences and influences keep his style fresh and steadily evolving, from catchy folk to literate acoustic rock. You’ll feel right at home listening to his smoky, soulful voice—and you don’t have  be from Ohio to appreciate it. 

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