David Poe

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David Poe, 2002. Photographed in New York City by Naomi Kaltman.

David Poe is an American songwriter, singer, musician, performer and composer.

Poe was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and raised in Dayton, Ohio, where he performed and recorded with local bands. He graduated from Miami University (Oxford) and relocated to New York City in 1992, serving as a live mix engineer for the performance art venue CB's 313 Gallery until he was signed to Sony Music in 1996.

Poe's self-titled debut (1997 in US; 1999 in Europe on Ulftone) was produced by T-Bone Burnett. Poe followed his debut with The Late Album (2002) and Love Is Red (2004 in Europe, 2005 in the US by 720/The Lab/Universal Music Group.) In 2006, an EP of performances from his American tour of the same year was released by The Artists Den on iTunes as David Poe: Live and Solo. Recently Poe's website announced his intention to release another solo record in 2007, tentatively entitled "Joy".

As a songwriter, he is known for clever wordplay ("You're The Bomb," "Moon," "Reunion," "Wilderness," "Love Is Red") and adventurous arrangements ("The Late Song (Je Ne Suis Pas Mort), Star, Not Enough Night.) Poe's music has been favorably compared to songwriters Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, Ray Davies, Joni Mitchell and The Beatles. His songs have been featured in numerous films and television shows, including Transamerica, The O.C. and Dawson's Creek.

In 2004, Poe helped produce Concerts For Change in New York, Minneapolis and London in an effort to change American leadership. The effort registered thousands of new American voters. In 2005, he served for as artist-in-residence of the media collective Artists Den, a music discovery project.

Poe has lent his songwriting and producing talents to recordings by Melissa Sheehan, Jenifer Jackson, Regina Spektor and Golden Smog guitarist Kraig Jarret Johnson. On occasion Poe has played guitar and sung in Johnson's band The Program. An ongoing collaboration with songwriters Duncan Sheik, Matt Johnson, Morgan Taylor and Fil Krohnengold is likely to yield a new record in 2007.

Poe has toured, recorded, performed and/or collaborated with John Abbey, Ed Ackerson, Peter Anderson, Jeff Allen, Tori Amos, Joan Baez, Jim Boggia, Jim Boquist, Butterfly Boucher, Michael Brauer, Jon Brion, T-Bone Burnett, Sim Cain, Darren Callahan, Vanessa Carlton, Lloyd Cole, Milo Decruz, Bob Dylan, Jason Falkner, Juan Garcia, Andy Gardiner, Golden Smog, Ed Harcourt, Chris Harford, Jesse Harris, Don Heffington, Jim Hoke, The Jayhawks, Jenifer Jackson, Kraig Jarret Johnson, Matt Johnson, Brad Jones, Howard Jones, Gary Jules, Suzie Katayama, Fil Krohnengold, Reni Laine, Jacob Lawson, Daryl Leonard, Lifehouse, Lisa Loeb, Tom Lord-Alge, Gary Louris, Tony Mason, Jamie Myerson, Norrin Radd, Beth Orton, David Pattillo, Gene Paul, Ben Peeler, Marc Perlman, Marc Ribot, Susan Rogers, Steve Rosenthal, Ron Sexsmith, Jane Siberry, Melissa Sheehan, Duncan Sheik, Regina Spektor, Morgan Taylor, They Might Be Giants, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, The Tiny, Trip Shakespeare, Chris Whitley, Daniel Wise and Doug Yowell.