He was a pianist, keyboardist, producer, singer-songwriter and musical director born in Killen, Alabama. Learning to play while he was still young he ventured out into the recording studio in Florence, Alabama, while still only 14 years old and that would be the start of an extremely successful career.
He was a co-founder of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section in the late 1950s/early 1960s and as part of them he saw his first chart single with “You Better Move On” sung by Arthur Alexander. From then on in either as a solo musician or with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section he toured and recorded with many great artists that include Norbert Putnam, Tommy Roe with whom he opened for The Beatles on tour, The Tams, Elvis Presley, Alabama, Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Sammy Davis Jr, Ronnie Milsap, Todd Rundgren, Marty Robbins, Hank Williams Jr., Jerry Reed, The Monkees, James Galway, Roger Whittaker, Dolly Parton, George Harrison, Loretta Lynn, Al Hirt, The Little River Band, Kenny Rogers, Earl Klugh , Dean Martin, Eddie Rabbitt, Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, Sammy Kershaw, Glen Campbell, Neil Young, B.B. King, Buck Owens, Roy Orbison , Nancy Sinatra, James Brown, Conway Twitty, Dobie Gray, Joan Baez, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood , Kim Carnes, Whitney Houston, Jimmy Buffett , and The Crusaders.
In 1969 he opened the Quadrafonic Studio with Norbert Putnam and in 1976 he sold that studio and opened his House of David. Making friends with Elvis Presley , he recorded with him for around and eleven years and toured regularly with him from 1975 until his death and was in huge demand as a session musician but during that time he also worked in the advertising side of music, recording numerous adverts for companies that include McDonalds, KFC, Miller Beer, Burger King, Budweiser, Coke and the theme for NBC. Not content with all this he ventured out as a music director and he directed most of the Country Music Awards Shows and specials such as the CBS Hall of Fame Special, the 65th Anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry and HBO’s This Country’s Rockin’.
Appearing on a myriad of recordings he can be heard on Coconut Telegraph by Jimmy Buffett , Grasshopper by J.J. Cale, Baez Sings Dylan by Joan Baez , Coat of Many Colors and Jolene by Dolly Parton , Greatest Hits by The Monkees, The Essential Kris Kristofferson, That’s The Way It Is, Tomorrow Is a Long Time and Hundred Years From Now by Elvis Presley , Greatest Hits by The Little River Band, Five Years Gone by Jerry Jeff Walker, King of Hearts by Roy Orbison , Nashville Rebel by Waylon Jennings, Personal Belongings by Dave Loggins , Precious Lord by Al Green, Nobody Knows What You Do by John Hartford, Southern Star by Alabama , Honky Tonk Rock ‘n’ Roll Piano Man by Jerry Lee Lewis and With Love by Kenny Rogers .
He was inducted into the Alabama Hall of Fame in 1999.
Joan Baez recordings
Forever Young (Bob Dylan)
A&M 1516-S, 2633-S (US 45)
Sources:
- http://www.alamhof.org/briggsd.htm
- http://www.buffettnews.com/bandmember77.html
- http://www.houseofdavidstudio.com/history.html
- http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?HT_Search=ARTIST&HT_Search_Info=David+Briggs&cart=659368112&style=music&altsearch=yes
- http://www.elvisconcerts.com/tours/t19766tr.htm