Dave Alvin

David Albert Alvin (born November 11, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is a former and founding member of the roots rock band the Blasters. Alvin has recorded and performed as a solo artist since the late 1980s and has been involved in various side projects and collaborations. He has had brief stints as a member of the bands X and the Knitters. He often refers to himself as "Blackjack Dave," in reference to his 1998 album and song of the same name.

Early life Alvin grew up in Downey, California. He and his older brother, Phil Alvin, as teenagers frequented blues, rockabilly and country music venues. Dave attended Long Beach State University.

Career With the Blasters In 1979, Alvin and his brother Phil formed the roots-rock band The Blasters with fellow Downey residents Bill Bateman and John Bazz. Alvin served as the group's lead guitarist and chief songwriter.

Other artists have covered Alvin's songs. For example, "Marie Marie" became a British-German top 20 hit in 1980 for Shakin' Stevens and received a zydeco treatment in 1987 from Buckwheat Zydeco. Dwight Yoakam recorded "Long White Cadillac" in 1989.

Alvin has rejoined the Blasters for some reunion tours and live albums with the original lineup. He has also occasionally performed with the band under other circumstances as well.

With X and the Knitters Alvin served a brief stint as the lead guitarist of the Los Angeles–based alternative rock band X. He left X in 1987 to work on a solo project after the group recorded their album See How We Are.

Alvin was also a member of the country folk band The Knitters, an offshoot of X. He appeared on their 1985 album Poor Little Critter on the Road and their 2005 follow-up, The Modern Sounds of the Knitters.

Solo

Alvin's first solo album, Romeo's Escape (entitled Every Night About This Time in England), was released in 1987. It was well received by critics but did not sell well. Because of the album's low sales, Alvin's recording contract with Columbia Records was terminated. He then toured with Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana, billed as the Pleasure Barons; an album recorded live on their 1993 tour was released. Rolling Stone magazine, in a review of the album, called Alvin "an underrecognized guitar hero". It was the first studio collaboration of the brothers since the mid-1980s. In 2015 they released Lost Time, a collection of covers including four songs by Big Joe Turner.

In live performance, Alvin assumed the role of emcee and storyteller. The brothers also worked Blasters tunes into the set list.

With Jimmie Dale Gilmore Alvin and Texas singer-songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore teamed on the 2018 album Downey to Lubbock (the title is a reference to where each man grew up).

As seen in his live performances with brother Phil, Alvin's stories between songs were a notable part of the stage shows with Gilmore and their supporting musicians.

In April 2022, Alvin announced his return to public performance after a grueling two-year battle with different forms of cancer that started in May 2020. He chose to do so with Gilmore, scheduling nine dates in California for late June and early July 2022.

Producer and collaborator Alvin has produced records for Chris Gaffney, Tom Russell, the Derailers, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys and Red Meat. He collaborated with the rockabilly musician Sonny Burgess. He also appeared in Streets of Fire, with the Blasters, in 1984.

Poetry and other writing Alvin has published two books of poetry: Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You and Nana, Big Joe & the Fourth of July. His poetry has appeared in Caffeine, the A.K.A. Review, Rattler, Asymptote and Enclitic and in the anthologies Nude Erections, Hit and Run Poets and Poetry Loves Poetry—An Anthology of Los Angeles Poets.

A collection of Alvin's writing called New Highway was scheduled for release in September 2022. Its subtitle -- Selected Lyrics, Poems, Prose, Essays, Eulogies and Blues -- described the scope of his work.

The Blasters discography (recordings with Dave Alvin as member) American Music (1980) The Blasters (1981) Over There (Live at The Venue, London) (1982) 6-song EP Non Fiction (1983) Hard Line (1985) The Blasters Collection (1990) Testament: The Complete Slash Recordings (2002) 2-CD Trouble Bound (2002) Going Home: The Blasters Live (2004) Live 1986 (2011) Mandatory: The Best of The Blasters (2023) Over There (Live at the Venue, London 1982) – The Complete Concert (2024) 2-CD

The Blasters videography Streets of Fire (1984) Going Home: The Blasters Live (2004)

X discography See How We Are (1987)

The Knitters discography Poor Little Critter on the Road (1985) The Modern Sounds of the Knitters (2005)

The Pleasure Barons discography Live in Las Vegas (1993)

Gene Taylor Blues Band discography Live!!! 605 Boogie!!! (2008) personnel: Gene Taylor/piano, Dave Alvin/guitar, John Bazz/bass, Bill Bateman/drums.

The Third Mind discography The Third Mind (2020) The Third Mind/2 (2023) 6-song EP/CD Live Mind (2025) Right Now! (2025) Spellbinder! (2026)

Dave Alvin discography

Other contributions Lead vocal on "Time After Time" and "I Just Keep Lovin' Her" on Skip Heller's Homegoing (Innova Recordings 577) (2002) Lead guitar on "Believe" and "Amazing Disgrace" on Dollar Store's Dollar Store (Bloodshot Records BS-098) (2004) Eklektikos Live (2005) – "Blackjack David" Highway 61 Revisited Revisited, UNCUT (2005) – "Highway 61 Revisited" The Lone Ranger: Wanted (2013) – "Lonesome Whistle" Produced and arranged Chris Gaffney's 1995 album Loser's Paradise released on Hightone Records. Produced Billy Bacon and the Forbidden Pigs' 1995 album The Other White Meat released on Triple X Records. Produced Christy McWilson's 2000 album The Lucky One, and her 2002 album Bed of Roses, both released on Hightone. Produced Carolyn Wonderland's 2021 album Tempting Fate, and her 2025 album Truth Is, both released on Alligator Records. Lead vocal/guitar on "Blind Owl" on Canned Heat's Final Vinyl (Ruf Records 1309) (2024)

Writings Nana, Big Joe & the Fourth of July (Iliteratim 1986) Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You (Incommunicado Press, 1996) New Highway: Selected Lyrics, Poems, Prose, Essays, Eulogies and Blues (BMG Books, 2022)