David Hyams

David Hyams

, AU
Musician / Composer / Producer of Rock, Folk and World

David Hyams is one of Western Australia's most accomplished composers, producers, and multi - instrumentalists. Playing acoustic, electric and steel guitars, as well as mandolin, bass, dobro and harmonica, he has performed in a wide range of musical styles, from blues, pop/rock and country to the progressive folk of popular WA acts Devils on Horseback, The Press Gang and Reel to Reel. A respected session guitarist and producer, David is known for his work with a range of Western Australian artists and also worked as sideman to a number of international acts, in 2005 touring Australia and Ireland with renowned Irish performer Sean Keane. In 2000, David emerged as a composer and artist in his own right with the release of his critically acclaimed debut "Miles To Go". The 13 track instrumental album attracted considerable radio airplay across Australia and a string of great reviews at home and abroad. Live performances by his 7 piece "Miles To Go band" followed, the band soon becoming a festival favourite and 7 times nominated for "Best World Music Act" at the WA Music Industry Associations awards (WAMIs). In 2005, he released his follow up, "Knowing the Place", which also received widespread airplay, particularly in North America, where it was placed in the "Top albums and songs" of 2007 (compiled from the playlists of 149 Folk DJs). David has composed for documentary and feature film, with his music being aired on numerous TV soundtracks. He also wrote the title song to the Australian feature "Mad Bomber in Love", which received high rotation airplay on ABC radio. As a songwriter he has collaborated with many artists and has been 3 times nominated for the WAM "Song of the year" awards, receiving an award in 1993. He was a finalist in the national MusicOz awards in 2006 and 2007, as well as the Australian Songwriters Association Awards in 2008. In 2009 he signed a publishing deal with Shock Publishing Australia. David has had a long involvement with WA indigenous musicians, including Peter Brandy and Kerriane Cox. He has worked on a number of projects with Aboriginal and regional communities, in particular as a co-ordinator of an ArtsWA community music project in the Central Desert community of Jameson (Mantamaru) in 2005 to 2006. He has been involved in community projects all over the state, having travelled to the Cocos Islands in 2010 to work with children in the Cocos Malay community. Over the past 4 years, he has been running songwriting workshops in several WA prisons, resulting in 55 songs being recorded - and including a collaboration with a women's choir in Boronia pre-release centre. A compilation album "Songs from the Inside" was released in May 2010, which includes 3 songs in Aboriginal languages and a song which has been used in offender treatment programs. David has been a major contributor to WA's music industry - as a member of ArtsWA's contemporary music panel and a longstanding WAM board member, holding the President's position from 2006 - 2008. He remains on the board, with his contribution to the organisation and industry being acknowledged in 2010, when he was made the organisation's 3rd honorary life member. From 2011-13 David worked as musical director on several shows in the Gascoyne region, and as producer and musical director for respected Arts company 'bighART' on the 'Murru' album project, written and recorded in the Roebourne community and prison. He was commissioned to write music for the 20th anniversary of WA's Fairbridge Festival, which was performed with a 17 piece band and 80 piece choir at the 2012 festival finale. David continues to work from his Fremantle base and released his third album "Travelling Bones", in 2013 AWARDS 1993 WAM song contest, Second Prize, Folk category (with Lynn Hazelton) 2000 WAMI Awards, Nomination "Best Original Folk Act" 2002 WAMI Awards, Nomination "Best World Music Act" (w Tok Pan Tok) 2004 WAM song contest, Finalist, Country category (with Lynn Hazelton) 2005 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2005 Australian Songwriters Asn. Song Contest, Finalist 2005 WAM song contest, Finalist, World/Folk 2006 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2006 Music Oz awards, Runner Up, "Instrumental" category 2007 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2007 Music Oz awards, Finalist, "Instrumental" category 2008 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2008 Australian Songwriters Asn. Song Contest, Finalist (2 songs) 2009 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2010 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2011 WAMI Awards, Nomination, "Best World Music Act" 2012 WAMI song of the Year, Finalist, Country category 2013 Tamworth Songwriters Association, Finalist SELECTED WORKSHOPS 1994 Kununurra Youth services, Kununurra 2003-4 Fairbridge and Nannup Festivals - Album production 2005-6 Mantamaru Community (Jameson) - Music Skills development, Songwriting to recording 2007 Songwriting workshops Looma Community (Fitzroy Crossing) 2007 Artist in residence - Awesome Creative Challenge - Carnarvon 2006-10 Ministry of Justice - Woorooloo, Hakea, Casuarina, Albany prisons - Songwriting and recording workshops 2009 Rhythmsong Music Camp - guest artist/tutor 2009 Artist in residence - Awesome Creative Challenge - Pandanus Park 2010 Artist in residence - Cocos Islands Youth Music Project 2010 Nannup music festival - producer and guitar workshops 2010 South Halls Head - songwriting workshops 2010 Yamaji Yarning Songwriters Development Project 2011 Music Outback (APY lands SA) - Facilitator songwriting 2011 Burringurrah Remote Community school - songwriting workshops/Composing of school song 2011 Jigalong, Punmu (Western Desert) Communities - songwriting to recording workshops 2012 Fairbridge Festival 20th year - Commission of pieces/musical direction 2012 Gascoyne in May - Musical Direction of various shows 2012 2012-2013 "Healing songs", WA wheatbelt 2013 Roebourne Community for Murru album - Producer, Musical director 2014 History House Museum, Armadale WA - Artist in Residence After a number of years performing and recording, David turned his hand to producing his own music and that of musicians he was working with. In 1990 he co-produced "Scatter the Mud" with the other Devils on Horseback members. He later began a collaboration with singer/songwriter Lynn Hazelton on her song "Living Water" which led to a West Australian Music Industry Association Song Contest award in 1993, and for him to produce her album of the same name. Since that time David has produced a number of film soundtracks, demo recordings and albums, including his "Miles To Go" album, which received outstanding reviews and extensive airplay across the country. He went on to produce "Deep Dead Blue" for rising singer-songwriter Lara Stephen and 2 albums for the well respected entertainer and award winning songwriter Bernard Carney. His extensive work with Aboriginal musicians led to his producing for indigenous artists Peter Brandy and the "Young Guns" from WA's Kimberley region. David has given workshops on the role of the record producer - and also presents a "Be the Producer" workshop, which is a 'how to' for artists who are self producing, or want to know more about the process. Workshop outline From 2006 - 2013, David has run a songwriting to recording workshops in a number of WA prisons, culminating in the "Songs from the Inside" album which he produced and engineered. The album was released in May of 2010.