Landeo landing lots of westside gigs
Preston Flanders - Thu, May, 6, 2004

David Landeo during a recent performance in Farragut. - Dan Barile/farragutpress

If you frequent local restaurants and bars or attend many weddings, chances are you’ve heard of local guitarist/singer/songwriter David Landeo.

The Nashville native has been gigging around town, playing a wide variety of music since his college years in the early-to-mid 1980s. Ironically, University of Tennessee sports are what brought Landeo to Knoxville.

“I came here mainly because I was a big Vol fan,” he said.

Landeo now lives just outside Farragut with his newlywed wife, Christy, and stepdaughter, Sandra Clemons, in Madison Ridge subdivision off Hart Road. The couple is expecting to make two additions to the family with twin girls expected in mid July.

A lot has changed for Landeo since he picked up a guitar at age 14, but one thing remains constant — his love of music.

And his musical talents aren’t limited to guitar — he’s also an accomplished bassist and drummer.

During his high school days in Middle Tennessee, Landeo played drums with a few buddies in a band called Fragile.

It was then that he became enthralled with the acoustic guitar.

“I became intrigued by the sound of the acoustic guitar,” Landeo said. “(The band’s lead singer) basically showed me the basic chords. We picked up chords from other musicians that came and jammed with us.”

The first song he learned was “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young and it wasn’t long before he wrote his first song, a song about nothing really called “Nothing to Miss.”

“I wrote that in the Parthanon in Centennial Park in downtown Nashville when I was 17 years old,” Landeo said. “I challenged myself to see if I could write some lyrics. I just conveyed what I saw at the park. Nothing.”

Shortly thereafter Landeo moved to Knoxville and attended UT. He found time to play gigs in various bands while balancing classes, membership in the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and serving in the U. S. Marine Corps as a “weekend warrior.”

Landeo received a bachelor’s degree in human services in 1985, but didn’t stray from Knoxville after getting his diploma.

“The band’s kept me in Knoxville,” he said.

After college, Landeo held various jobs such as a secretary for I.T. Corp. and sales associate at Cats Records, but still played music in his free time.

“I always played gigs on the weekend,” he said.

But music soon outgrew his 9 to 5 life and Landeo decided to make music his full time job.

He made the plunge as a full time solo musician 10 years ago.

“Just by chance I wanted to see if I could make a living at it,” he said.

He still vividly remembers his first solo show — spring break in Daytona Beach, Fla.

“I was just real grateful and proud because I organized the trip and did my homework as far as research and making contacts,” he said.

In fact, that’s the first thing Landeo realized about being a full-time solo musician — you become your own corporation.

“As a solo act you have to wear a lot of hats. You have to have your advertising and public relations … gotta be business-minded,” he said.

At first Landeo did a lot of cold calling to find gigs, now he lets his live shows serve as a résumé.

“When I perform I’m selling myself,” he said. “ … and whether it’s covers or originals I like to hit ‘A’ to ‘Z.’”

Since his live performances serve a résumé, it’s safe to say Landeo has plenty of job offers having become one of the most sought-after acts both local and abroad.

He’s played in Key West, Fla., during Fantasy Fest, charity functions in Minnesota, gigs in Cincinnati, Ohio, and across the pond in Ashford, Falkestone and London, England, and Madrid, Spain.

Landeo attributes his popularity to creating an atmosphere where the audience “is a vital part of the good time.”

“My approach is (the audience) is in my living room and I’m entertaining them,” he said. “That makes me feel comfortable, too.”

That approach has landed Landeo smack-dab in the middle of many couples’ most special day.

“The whole moniker of wedding singer … well, I’m just totally honored,” he said. “It’s special because (the couples) want me to be a part of the most special day of their lives.”

Landeo estimates he’s played the role of wedding singer at 90 receptions during the last 12 or 13 years.

“Ninety percent of the couples I know,” he said.

And that’s been the most rewarding part of his experience as a full time musician, Landeo said.

“Developing friendships, that’s the most rewarding part of this,” he said.

Landeo has also done performances to benefit nonprofit organizations such as Child Help USA, Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity and The American Red Cross.

“If my music can help anybody, in any way, I’d do it for the rest of my life,” he said.

In addition to his wedding gigs, live shows and benefit performances, Landeo has compiled CDs full of original music under his own independent record label Dante Records, named after his Peruvian father Dante Landeo. His latest release is “The Canine Way,” four tunes of which can be heard on rotation on WKVL West 105.3.

His next venture “Occupation: Mime,” of which he has completed the first track, is tentatively set to be released early 2005.

The CD title makes light of the voice operation Landeo had in January of this year for what he called “vocal maintenance.”

Landeo has also recorded covers songs for tribute CDs of legendary bands U2 and Queen.

“I played all instruments (on the tracks) except drums,” he said of the CDs that included other tracks from bands in Spain, Denmark and Italy.

The Adrenaline record company in Milan, Italy, recorded the CD.

But how do you mimic the voice of former Queen frontman Freddy Mercury?

“I just tried to adjust it to my style of singing,” Landeo said with a grin.

If you would like to check out David Landeo, or his band simply called Landeo, check out his Web site www.davidlandeo.com for upcoming shows.