Daily Inspiration: Meet David Bays

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Bays.

Hi David, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a Cleveland-based musician and actor. I have been playing guitar for as long as I can remember and have been composing music since I was in middle school. I started acting in the 4th grade after stereotypically being bad at every sport I tried. Finding the arts helped me discover who I am and has allowed me to truly express myself.

In my senior year of high school, I was diagnosed with t-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and it put my life on hold. I underwent two and a half years of chemotherapy treatment to fight it off. this forced me to take a gap year after high school and when I was finally able to complete my auditions for college acting programs, I underwent my last year of treatment while at the same time completing my first year of acting training at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

While my treatment successfully killed off my cancer, it left me with several debilitating issues, mainly a bone disease called AVN which causes me physical pain every day. I spent my first year of college in a wheelchair and need to be careful with my body all the time.

I released my first full-length album, “Aspects of Adjustment” in 2020 as a follow-up to my 2018 EP “I Did It in One Day”. “Aspects of Adjustment,” tells the story of my experience transitioning back to normal life after completing cancer treatment and the strange phase of life that it was. the songs chronicle my struggle to relate to others, my trauma of a near-death experience, my shift in faith and perspective, as well as the outpouring of love and care I received from those closest to me.

This past year I released a concert film, “Aspects of Adjustment: Live”, which I filmed with Yours Truly Productions. It is directly tied to my first album and was filmed on an abandoned office floor, with a live audience and backing band. In it, I tell my story and rock out through every song on the album as well as a few extras.

I recently finished recording my second full-length album with producer Steve Perrino at Bottleworks Recording Studio, which features an upgraded sound with full-band arrangements and a harder folk-rock feel. I plan on releasing the first few singles over the next few months.

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?
It has definitely been a rough road. I have the absolute best support system I could ask for with my family and friends though. I could not have made it to where I am without them. I consider myself one of the luckiest people I know.

It is hard to be a performer, specifically one who loves to use his physicality as much as possible when I have to be careful with my body and deal with pain every day.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I believe that my story and life experiences very much set me apart from others. I am also extremely dedicated to my craft as a musician, songwriter, actor, and artist. I strive to create music and expression that is truly unique and constantly engaging. Every second I perform and create is filled with the utmost passion, love, and care.

I am always learning and growing. I believe no one should ever stop bettering and pushing themselves to be the best human they can be.

With my theatrical background and upbringing, I always find it bleeding into my music. I am a very animated performer and my compositions always seem to have a theatricality to them. Every instrument has a special voice and character in my songs, and every section of a song I write is its own act in the larger whole.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I am most happy when I am performing or spending time with those I love. When those two things are combined I am in utter bliss.

Besides art, the people in my life and the relationships I hold with them are my greatest passion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/davidbaysmusic
• Instagram: @davidbaysmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidBaysMusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidBaysMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8nJTmQn2oBDs2eM-3ZtsXg/videos
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4R0EfQg7MsSv7HKHsuSuVe?si=BX6EhL91R86P-irLt1EA4Q

Image Credits
Mikki Schaffner, Isaac Ingle, and Nick Martin