Check Out Dave Buker’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Buker. 

Hi Dave, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As someone working in a creative field, it can be difficult to trace the path back to where it all started. But I think a good place to start is when I was 13 or 14 (circa 2000) when I got my first guitar and started playing in a band with some friends. I’ve been playing in bands consistently since then, which is getting close to 25 years – hard to believe. 

I ultimately studied music at Youngstown State University and received a degree in music education in 2009. I suppose you could mark this as the beginning of my “career” in music, but the path to where I am now has been far from linear. Not long after receiving my degree, I moved to Columbus and eventually started working as an educator, which eventually lead to work as a media producer. Like I said, not at all linear. 

In 2010, I formed the eponymously named Dave Buker and the Historians and have played across the country with my bandmates for the last 13 years. The band developed, at least somewhat, as a result of songs I wrote for an independent film – and via a Craigslist ad that connected me with our drummer, Joe Spurlock. Our lineup now includes myself, Joe, vocalist/keyboardist (and my wife) Leanna Buker, guitarist Brogan Reilly, and bassist Dan Ita. We are currently working on a new album that will be released in June. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all, and I’m grateful for that because it has taught me a lot. Making money as a musician, especially with original music, is very difficult. I think focusing on that is a recipe for disappointment, and I’ve come to realize that by grinding over the years – traveling to sometimes play for just the other bands, spending all your spare time working on passion projects without knowing if anyone will listen. When it starts to feel like a business, and sometimes it does, it can be hard to remember why you started doing it in the first place. And not only is it difficult to make money, we’ve often found ourselves spending more than we make to produce our music. 

But despite those struggles, there are always things that keep you going – someone coming up to you at a show to tell you how much your music has meant to them, performing with great musicians that you trust and admire (and sharing your passion with them), randomly hearing yourself on the radio (that’ll never get old to me). Yes, it can be a struggle, but it’s part of the process. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Due to the nature of my work, I wear many hats – songwriter, audio engineer, videographer, editor, animator. Like most people, I started as a hobbyist but now do all of these things as a professional (in some cases, after formal education…and in some cases, learning by doing). And I feel very lucky to have forged a path that allows me to feel passionately about my work. 

I’m very proud of the work I’ve done with my band, Dave Buker, and the Historians, and am lucky to collaborate with some really great people. We’ve been fortunate enough to be highlighted by American Songwriter magazine, featured on WOSU and NBC4 television programs, and played by numerous radio stations. 

Along with my freelance work (and work with the band), I also have a day job as a media producer through which I won three Emmy awards in 2022. I also co-host (along with Mark Cracraft and Joe Wood) a podcast called An Hour of Our Time, which covers a wide range of topics – history, science, culture. We started it in 2018 and have since released almost 200 episodes. You can listen wherever you find podcasts.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
On a personal note, I’ve learned that I don’t at all mind working from home. I know it’s not for everyone, but it has made my work more streamlined. And as a result, I’ve improved my home setup to the point where it is now a fully functional recording studio and editing bay.

On a more holistic note, the pandemic made me further realize the importance of science literacy and how it relates to our everyday lives. I feel very strongly about that and have been fortunate enough to work on many media projects that promote science literacy.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://davebukerhistorians.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbukerhistorians/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davebukerhistorians
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaveBukermusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/davebukermusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/1LcO8GnGMjiv48szRSdtLa

Image Credits
Harry Acosta
Dan Mitchell