Dave is the newest member of Baggyrinkle, having joined the esteemed shanty group in March 2022. 

Dave’s enthusiasm for shanty singing only emerged in the summer of 2021 whilst in the audience for the Weston-Super-Mare Sea Shanty & Folk Music Festival. This coincided with a desire to finally learn to play a musical instrument at the age of 67 which resulted in him joining Llanelli Ukulele Players where he met Gareth, a fellow Baggy. Although late to the musical party in terms of performing, apart from a very brief stint as lead vocalist for a local Teignmouth band in 1971! Dave has been passionate about music since early childhood. His tastes cover all genres, from 50s rock ‘n’ roll through to disco via pop, soul, folk, country, blues, heavy rock, new wave and the occasional classical piece. From the Monkees to Ennio Morricone via Led Zeppelin, music is his first love. 

 Dave was born in Totnes, Devon in 1954. Although a soft southerner by birth, he relates strongly to the north of England, his mother and her siblings having been born and raised in Salford. After a brief spell living in Lancashire, Dave settled permanently in Teignmouth, Devon at the age of six. Growing up in that historical port gave Dave a taste for life on the high seas and his authentic experience as a young sea dog, collecting fares on the Teignmouth/Shaldon ferry in 1975, clinched the deal with Baggyrinkle.

Dave has a rich history of employment, including stints as a Civil Servant, postman, deck chair attendant, delivery driver, thatcher’s labourer, builder’s labourer, apprentice motor mechanic, trainee landscape gardener, trainee supermarket manager and petrol pump attendant. Fittingly, his final job before retiring in December 2021 was with Swansea jobcentre. He has lived in Teignmouth, London, Exeter, Weston-super-Mare but currently resides in Llanelli with his wife Sue. They have three adult children and two young grandchildren.

Dave is a passionate runner for many years with three London Marathons and three Great North Run half-marathons completed, along with umpteen other races and in excess of £6000 raised for charity. Currently a member of Sospan Road Runners based in Llanelli.

 Dave has initially identified ‘The Leaving of Liverpool’ as a song he enjoys singing with Baggyrinkle. As a lifelong and passionate Manchester United supporter, the thought of leaving Liverpool will always hold an attraction for him. Another song he has initially asked to take the lead on is Shenandoah, which fits with his childhood passion for TV westerns.