Dave Potter
Hard work and smooth blues.
For a man who spends his days as a commercial carpenter foreman, an artistic escape such as playing guitar has certainly helped round out some of lifeÃÛèÖÊÓƵ sharper edges.
A Lyndon Station native and Wisconsin Dells High School graduate, Dave Potter comes from a talented bloodline that helped foster his love for music. In addition to music theory classes through MATC, on-the-job lessons from a series of talented performers also has helped Potter find his place as a recognized name on the local music scene.
Off-stage, Potter focuses his energy on family (wife Liz and children Julia, Robert, Marie and Leah) and on a love for custom painting that ranges from car/motorcycle parts, guitars and anything else someone might want personalized.
To learn more, visit PotterÃÛèÖÊÓƵ page on or swing by , 132 W. Grand Ave., Beloit, to catch him hosting “Blue Mondays†with a variety of musical guests from the state line area and beyond.
1. What is it particularly about the blues that appeals to you? Two things really. Freedom of expression to interpret a song as I feel in the moment, and also to be able to tailor that song to fit the reaction of the audience.
2. Tell me the story of your first guitar? My very first guitar was a Harmony acoustic my grandfather found in the local landfill. My father taught me some cowboy chords, and thatÃÛèÖÊÓƵ all it took.
3. Do you have any pre-gig rituals? Not really, but often I will pull on the strings of guitars with my hand to try and grab the one that sounds like it has the most snap or sounds the brightest and hope it has some life left in it.
4. You are a motorcycle/car guy. How did you get into that hobby? My father was a mechanic/hot rod guy. He taught me a lot that led to getting very involved in the hobby.
5. Are you more of a city person or a country person? I grew up in the country with cattle and horses, a fishing hole and lots of woods to run about in. I miss it very much. I hope to get back there, but for a number of years, I’ve lived in town with the convenience of being close to things.
6. People would be surprised to find out that: As a kid, I wanted to be a figure skater. I got to the point where I outgrew my skates, and we just couldn’t afford to get a new pair.
7. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? I’ve always had a fascination with Italy, especially Venice.
8. Do you come from a musical family, or are you an outlier? A lot of the family on my fatherÃÛèÖÊÓƵ side were musicians. Most played simply for extra income. I am probably one of the first that was able to play music because I love to play music—not that hasn’t got me through some tough times.
9. What was your first car, and what was the story behind it? A 1946 Ford coupe. My father traded a derringer pistol for it with my grandfather, who had won it in the card game. It sat behind our house until I was 13, when my father gave it to me and helped me restore it.
10. Do you understand music theory or do you perform by ear? To a degree. I played by ear for years and then took some music theory courses that helped tremendously. I also took lessons from other musicians, because you can’t break the rules if you don’t know the rules to begin with.
11. Blues guitarists often have names for their guitars. Do you have names for yours? No. I’ve never really understood the naming of material objects unless thereÃÛèÖÊÓƵ a good story that goes with it, like B.B. KingÃÛèÖÊÓƵ guitar, Lucille.
12. Who would be the faces on your Mount Rushmore of blues music? ThatÃÛèÖÊÓƵ tough. ThereÃÛèÖÊÓƵ so many great influences I have, but at the core of it, I would have to say B.B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins and T-Bone Walker would be at the forefront for me.
13. What are your overall goals as they pertain to music? To keep playing, to keep learning and to improve as a player whether itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ through little steps or big steps—as long as they’re in a forward motion.
14. What is your most prized possession? I would have to say my wedding ring. Everything else is just things I happen to have. Some of them are more special than others, but nothing tops what my ring means to me.
15. Have you ever met any of your musical heroes? If so, what were they like? If not, who would you like to meet/have met? Most of my musical heroes are long since gone. But I’ve played with a number of musicians that did know those people, and I’ve yet to hear one bad thing about any of them. And thatÃÛèÖÊÓƵ not to mention the generation of musicians they influenced that I play with and, in turn, have influenced me. They have all been amazing.
16. Have you ever written any songs? Many many years ago, I may have written a couple little ditties. But for the most part, I just enjoy interpreting other peopleÃÛèÖÊÓƵ music my own way.
17. What was your first job? Best job? Worst job? My first job, I was a busboy at the local Holiday Inn. I think I was 12 or 13. My best job is being a tour guide in Wisconsin Dells, driving draft horses through Lost Canyon. My worst job was being a mason tender at 19.
18. You host Blue Mondays each week at Grand Avenue Pub in Beloit. How do you select your guests, and how large is the blues community in southern Wisconsin? We have done Blue Mondays long enough now where we have a network that reaches throughout the country, but most times, just for convenience, our guests are from within a couple hours of the state line. I wouldn’t say thereÃÛèÖÊÓƵ a huge blues community in the state line area, but I would say there is a huge music community that ties everything and everyone together. We are pretty blessed in this area of the country with the level of talented musicians and people who support live music.
19. Name a skill you wish you had. I would have to say some thing in the IT world. I know nothing about computers, writing code etc., but navigating computer systems is pretty cool to me.
20. When it comes to musical instruments, are you more of a “brand†guy or more of a “feel†guy? Definitely a feel guy. I couldn’t care less what it says on the end of it as long as itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ set up and feels comfortable.
