More than two decades ago, before he released any music, Anthony David didn’t imagine having a singing career ― definitely not one formidable enough to sustain him in the future. That revelation becomes hard to believe upon a first listen to his voice. The Savannah native has a tone that’s so rich, soulful and Southern that it could easily soundtrack a Georgia cookout.
It’s pervasive throughout his 2004 debut album “3 Chords & the Truth.” The 14-track LP turns 20 on Aug. 24. Next week, David will celebrate the album and his career with a concert at Center Stage. It’ll mark the first time he’ll perform the album in full.
“It’s just a reflection of my development and evolution,” David said about the upcoming show. “Honestly, too, for me, it’s just approaching the whole thing with more confidence. When I was recording (the album), and by the time I finished it, I really didn’t like it because I was listening to it too much … but now I know what the songs mean to people and some of the songs mean different things to me.”
Credit: JENNI GIRTMAN
Credit: JENNI GIRTMAN
For the Grammy-nominated singer, the show is a full-circle moment. Center Stage hosted one of his first shows, and Atlanta is the city that raised him as a musician. The 52-year-old moved from Savannah to Atlanta in 1994, when the city’s music scene started to become mainstream. David initially settled in College Park before moving to the West End (he now resides in East Point).
He attended the now-defunct Art Institute of Atlanta for video production and music management, but never knew he’d make music on his own. Sure, as a kid, he’d listen to Hall & Oates, Donny Hathaway and Alexander O’Neal, but music wasn’t in the cards.
Then he became entranced by the city’s growing musical community.
David recalls attending events at FunkJazz Kafe and Underground Atlanta. He remembers seeing artists like Dionne Farris and David Ryan Harris perform. He became immersed in the city’s poetry scene. Soul legend India Arie was one of the first people David met upon his move. Little did he know the encounter would forge a creative partnership and lay the foundation for Atlanta’s neo-soul movement. David wrote “Part of My Life,” a track for Arie’s critically acclaimed 2001 debut album “Acoustic Soul.” He also toured with her and the pair worked on more songs together, including the fan-favorite duet “Words.”
“When I got (to Atlanta), I was looking for what was here, and I remember at one point I was like, ‘Oh, we’re what we came to see.’ … I feel like I contributed a lot here, and I was poured into here.”
In fact, David was touring with Arie while recording “3 Chords & the Truth.” He was splitting his time between New York and Atlanta. He also endured a breakup, which is the thesis of the album. The album also offers social commentary, like the track “Krooked Kop,” which delves into the effects of police brutality. There’s also the party jam “GA Peach” and it’s accompanying remix, an ode to the variety of women from Georgia.
The album introduced listeners to the depth of David’s honest blues that hearkens back to ’60s-era soul music.
“The saying about songwriting is all you need to write a good song is three chords and the truth. Bill Withers was a huge influence of mine, vocally. His voice felt similar and simple and to the point, and that encouraged me to do my thing — and people liked it.”
He remembers his friends’ reaction to “Cold Turkey,” the first song he wrote on guitar. It’s a track that expresses his desire for an ex-lover.
“Every time I played that song, my friends would be in awe. That was the first time I knew I had something. I never knew what a hit song was until that.”
Following the release of “3 Chords & the Truth,” David went on to drop a string of albums, including “Red Clay Chronicles” and “As Above So Below,” which boasts the hit “4evermore.”
Today, David is focused on expanding his skills beyond music. He’s hosted his annual Kingdom Come Film Festival at Rock Steady to highlight African culture. He’s partnering with Edgewood Pizza to help expand the restaurant to different locations. David plans to work with Delta for future projects that’ll bridge the gap between the airline and Atlanta’s music scene (one idea he has in mind is creating a variation of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts in the Delta Sky Club).
But, for David, music will always be his core. He aims to drop a new album early next year. Across two decades, David said a main career highlight is working with Arie and making the Obamas fans of his music. He recently traveled to Brazil and saw people line dancing to “4evermore.” It’s a memory he’ll never forget and one he rhapsodizes over when thinking about the excitement of his upcoming show.
“That was just super fun in terms of just seeing how people connect with my music. I’ve been looking for that because I feel like I’m in the legacy period of my career, and I’m looking to see who’s influenced by my music. I always wanted to influence people.”
IF YOU GO
Anthony David
8 p.m. Aug. 22. $40-$65. Center Stage, 1374 W. Peachtree St., Atlanta. 404- 885-1365, centerstage-atlanta.com.
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