At an age when plenty of musicians are calling it a day from touring, what prompted one musician to double down on both their touring and their forays into live music, period? That’s a question at the heart of a new Washington Post profile of musician and actor John Davidson. (Who, it should be noted, should not be confused with the retired hockey player of the same name.)
The profile, by Geoff Edgers, chronicles the current state of the man Edgers calls “the superstar that time forgot.” That’s not hyperbole — Davidson had his own television show for a while; his music charted regularly; and he’s also had a storied theatrical career. AllMusic’s review of his 1967 album My Best to You states that the record “shows that he is a confident and dynamic vocalist, unlike many of the ‘golden throats’ celebrity vocalists with whom he is often lumped.”
It’s an impressive resume. Edgers compares him to Hugh Jackman in terms of his overlapping skills; nowadays, Davidson is a venue owner and an avid boater, and he’s still writing songs. As Davidson told the Post, his thought process was along the lines of “I’m 80, and I’m going to do what I want.”
This particular profile of Davidson offers a sense of a musician with a constant sense of restlessness. Is that ultimately Davidson’s muse? It’s a fascinating look at a life that’s difficult to categorize.
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