I’m David Wray and I’ve been a musician for most of my life and a performing professional for over 20 years. I am currently a touring guitarist and perform across the world in theatres, arenas, music venues and cruise ships. In 2019 I was one of the inductees into Brighton’s Walk of Fame.
Since re-emerging from the global Covid interruption, I resumed touring in Summer 2021, entertaining at the wedding of Tom Ogden (Blossoms) and playing at several UK festivals before being welcomed with a smile by the EU for the 50 date Dutch tour of ‘Imagine – The John Lennon Songbook‘.
During 2022 / 23 I have been touring North and Central America with The Beatles Revolution and squeezing in more recording for my forthcoming album, with a country/blues edge.
In 2019 I was one of the inductees into Brighton’s Walk of Fame, along with The Vox Beatles.
I have been privileged to have lunch with 3 Prime Ministers and have been a special guest of the Sultan of Brunei.
Current Touring
I am currently touring with ‘The Beatles Revolution‘ across Central and North America as well as UK theatres as ‘The Beatles Reborn’.
Recent Tours
As we emerged from the pandemic experience I was back doing guitar/piano/vocal duties on ‘Imagine – The John Lennon Songbook‘, touring in theatres across Europe as well as cruise contract work in shows as ‘The Beatles Revolution’.
Since 2015 much of my live work has been playing George Harrison in tribute shows around the world including The Counterfeit Beatles and touring West End production, ‘Let It Be‘. I’ve performed with The Liverpool Beatles on board several cruise ships throughout Europe, America, the Caribbean and Alaska as well as The Cavern in Liverpool, of course! It’s amazing to play the music I’ve loved all my life and to perform to audiences from hundreds to over 50,000 has been a great way to live!
My Start . .
I started playing guitar on a Kay acoustic when I was 12, teaching myself from books I permanently borrowed from the school library 😮 . I bought my first proper guitar with my paper round tips one Christmas.
By 19 I was obsessed and spent days on end playing through the music books of The Beatles, Joe Satriani, Elvis and other musicians that seem to have done okay. By the early nineties I was largely playing the circuit in London and the south, recording with a number of up and coming artists. I have been lucky enough to work with some of the most respected engineers & producers for EMI and Polydor at the most well equipped studios, from ‘chicken sheds’ to the famous Abbey Road Studios.
Songwriting
I was the guitar and vocal with Never, who went on to become Namaqua, a popular trio on the Brighton & London scene. After fronting the acclaimed five-piece, Stebson, I returned to recording and touring with Namaqua, releasing several singles, EPs and two albums on AWAL Records, appearing at several top venues and festivals along the way.
Songwriting credits including ‘Namaqualand’, about the legend of the South African desert it was written about; ‘Feel The Power’, written for Scott Welch, as he fought in Las Vegas for the World Heavyweight Championship; ‘We Are The Rebels’, a theme tune for Worthing Football Club, played at home games.
Media
In 2004 I launched Guitarist TV with Mike Dejager, leading to work with Peter Frampton, Albert Lee, Steve Vai and Joe Bonamassa, later playing at London’s O2 for Gibson and the opening of the British Music Experience Exhibition in 2008.
Since 2006 TV appearances have included; BBC, ITV, C4, KBS, MBC, Sky Sports. Setanta, Digiturk, NCN and more . . Radio including; Reverb, BBC, SBC, Network 7, Play and more . .