Brad Davis (musician) - Role As A Writer, Producer and Studio Musician

Role As A Writer, Producer and Studio Musician

Brad Davis has had plenty of work as a guitarist, harmony vocalist, writer and producer for other music artists and movie soundtracks.

In the late 1980s, Davis was invited to become a member of the Ricky Skaggs band. Upon arriving in Nashville, he discovered the job had been given to another musician. As he needed to find a way to pay the bills, he found a job as a roving fiddle and guitar minstrel at Opryland USA.

In 1992, he became a member of Marty Stuart's road and studio band, the Rock and Roll Cowboys and continued in the band through 2002, touring across the world and appearing in music videos and television shows on CMT and what was then known as TNN. During this time, he also appeared on Stuart's gold selling album This One's Gonna Hurt You, the Marty Stuart "Hit Pack", and Stuart's last MCA recording, "The Pilgrim".

After a jam with Stuart at the home of Earl Scruggs in 2001, Brad was inivited to become a member of Scruggs' road band, "Earl Scruggs with Family & Friends", of which he is still a member. Davis appeared on a Grand Ole Opry episode, which aired on CMT, as part of this configuration, to sing "The Ballad of Jed Clampett". Other prominent musicians who have appeared in the Earl Scruggs band include Albert Lee and Jon Randall.

By 2002, Stuart had opted for a different sound (and record label), and all members parted ways to work on other projects. During this time, Davis established a musical partnership with Billy Bob Thornton, more famously known as the actor, in his road band and studio band, which continues to this day. All releases from Thornton, from his first in 2001, "Private Radio", to his latest under the new group, The Boxmasters, self-titled, feature Davis' guitar work and harmony vocals, and he co-wrote, performed on, and produced all tracks on Thorntons' CD, "Beautiful Door" (2007, Universal Records). Davis will tour with Thornton's "Boxmasters" across the United States in the summer of 2008, including TV appearances. He participated in the filming of the music video for the first single, which aired on GAC and CMT.

From 2003 - 2005, he was the guitarist and harmony vocalist in Sam Bush's road and studio band, and appeared on Bush's "King of My World" in 2005.

His unique playing can be heard on movie soundtracks, including Steven Seagal’s "Fire Down Below", and Billy Bob Thornton’s releases "Daddy And Them" and "Waking Up In Reno". He also recorded with Sheryl Crow, among others, on the Johnny Cash tribute album "Kindred Spirits", and played guitar on Warren Zevon’s final Grammy-winning recording, "The Wind".

In addition, he has toured, recorded or written with major artists such as Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Pam Tillis, The Forester Sisters, Tommy Shaw (Styx), David Lee Roth (Van Halen), and Sweethearts of the Rodeo.