www.davidcarter.com

"BEACH MUSIC"
"Boy Story"
PORT FOLIO WEEKLY MAGAZINE
written by: Eric Worden, 7/22/97

Bertie Higgins. That’s what my brain fed me the first time I sat down for a meal on the roof of the Island Republic.  David Carter was on the stage crooning Caribbean, and he had it all… Just like Bogey and Bacall. All except original music that is. I’m here to say I short-changed the guy.

David Carter has been entertaining crowds at eateries, festivals, weddings, bars and more for most of two decades.  Every time you’ve checked PORT FOLIO WEEKLY to see who’s playing live, David Carter has always been there. He is Hampton Roads personified.  But while Carter has built a strong following with his true, clear voice, covering favorites like "come Monday," "You’ve Got A Friend," and "Brown-Eyed Girl," he has been honing his own writing. One listen to his new disc of originals, Two Hands Are Enough, and it’s obvious David Carter is more that a brown-eyed boy.

Youthful and simple, Carter is a storyteller.  In the vein of Buffett, his autobiographical lyrics show the common ground many of us share. Themes are borrowed from his childhood, high school romance at First Colonial, college dorms, and trips to Key West. Locals will find plenty of area references in his lyrics, and with 20 songs and over 70 minutes of music on the disc there’s lots to listen for. Recorded live (mostly at O’Leary’s Irish Beach Bar and Grill). Two Hands Are Enough showcases Carter’s rich vocals and confidence in his guitar playing.  At times he reminds me of Mike Lille with his deep, clear voice. Sometimes folksy, sometimes raw, Carter’s experience allows diversity to shine.

As a father, I really enjoyed "Fish," a song he wrote for his son David-Russell. "Somewhere Under This Moon" is full of local imagery with mentions of the Virginia Beach boardwalk, Ocean Eddie’s, and the Dairy Queen. Not only is the song really good and relatable, the liner notes help put it into perspective.  He wrote the lyrics on the back of a placemat while eating an oceanfront breakfast at the Belvedere Diner. "The Last Star" is a song about letting go, written while on the road back to Hampton Roads after a gig in Richmond. While much of Carter’s guitar work is chord progressions, this one has some nice string-work. "Mother Goose" is a nursery rhyme written under the effects of tequila.  For those who went to Elon College in North Carolina, maybe you were there when Carter wrote this track.  Not necessarily for children the song is a real drinkin’ crowd’s favorite.
Eric Worden is a 21-year radio veteran and is the curent morning DJ on 94.9 FM, The Point. He has a passion for music and has interviewed hundreds of artists.

Contact information:
David Carter, c/o Mid-Atlantic Records
P.O. Box 4025, Virginia Beach, VA 23454-0025   (757) 581-6480
e-mail: midatlanticmusic@aol.com
Copyright 1996-2005, David R. Carter, Sr

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