Artist To Watch: Dave Preston

For the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure of seeing this month’s featured artist, Dave Preston, play all over Denver.  And while his raw and natural talent has been featured alongside some great artists, including Paula Cole, Trace Bundy, and One Eskimo, it’s his ambient guitar work, from his debut release BE, that has been recognized across the globe.  After receiving internationally syndicated radio play, as well as being featured nationally on NPR, the release debuted in September of 2008 on the New Age Reporter Charts at number 91, shooting to number 66 the following month.
That same year, Preston was selected to join the band of an artist that is no stranger to Tragic Kingdom, Matt Morris.  Morris and Preston immediately began rehearsing for the promotional tour surrounding the release of Matt’s debut album, When Everything Breaks Open.  During their time together, the pair began working on a track that Preston had featured on his first release, titled “BE-JOY”.  The duo took what was already great and turned it into a single-worthy pop tune which appeared on Morris’ debut.  The track, “Just Before The Morning”, was co-produced by the head of Morris’ label, Justin Timberlake, and was considered for the lead single.

And now, two years later, after appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Lopez Tonight, and playing gigs with both Justin Timberlake and Charlie Sexton, Dave Preston is returning to his ambient sounds on his sophomore release, “Soundtrack For Motion”.  The release, which features ambient music giant Mingo, is describes as ‘a meditation of motion and movement in all its forms, both physical and metaphysical’. The album, available on iTunes now, features a wide range of emotional depth showcasing the talented guitarist’s growth as an ambient artist.

Tragic Kingdom is happy to add one of the nicest and most creative individuals I’ve met, Dave Preston, to the growing list of featured talents. It is his creative and unique talents that will undoubtedly one day earn him praise for his incredible scores for major motion pictures, worthy of Academy Awards. I will continue to keep following this artist on the rise, ready to help celebrate his continued successes along the way. Check out Dave Preston accompanying Matt Morris at The Walnut Room in Denver on “Just Before The Morning” below.