Dave Scarbrough

Dave Scarbrough learned how to play guitar and piano at age 5, and wrote his first song at age 6. After playing along with Peter Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way” at age 11, Dave thought, “I can do this!” and thus kicked in a mess of Singer/Songwriter-themed originals. But it was hearing The Sex Pistols and the Ramones on KAUR in 8th grade that inspired him to go a different direction.

Gobbling up volumes of music from Iron Creek and Ernie November, new and inventive music took hold and tamed the punk beast. Elvis Costello, Squeeze, The Jam and more kicked in the power-pop influence on his writing. Dave started playing in bands, and after being inspired by local band No Direction, he and Dan Boen started “Ill Bill and the Spinal Chills” and released two albums of all originals and the band played the local circuit pretty regularly.

In 1987, while working at KUOM in Minneapolis, Dave had free access to a great studio and took full advantage. The songwriting and recording bug had gone into hyper-drive about this time, providing a handful of solo cassette projects from the late 80’s through 1992. In 1993 he co-wrote and recorded “The Habitual Groove of It” CD with Charles Luden, Ray Novak, and Mark Romanowski to some regional acclaim.

Then in 1994 he joined forces with The Harvesters. With a sold-out CD and playing regularly at the Pomp Room and various spots between Vermillion and Minneapolis, they were the first band from South Dakota to be asked to play South By SouthWest in Austin, TX. His best rock and roll moment? While playing their set at SXSW, Iggy Pop and entourage walked by the front stage and Iggy looked up and gave Dave a thumbs-up and a smile.

In his Senior year at Augustana College, Dave was hired to be the General Manager of KAUR, which became probably the greatest year of his life. Many friendships and connections were made as a result.

Dave was asked to play bass for Violet in 2002 - a huge honor. Violet recorded their album “All Things Possible” over a period of a year at Dave’s home. Shortly following this was Dave’s first “real” CD release, “The Scarbrough Affair - Leftists Unite.”

In 2014 he was invited to join a private Facebook group called “Theme Music.” It was a chance to meet and work with hundreds of artists and musicians worldwide, and some really great friendships were made. 2022 saw the release of “Happy Ever After,” an album recorded over a year and a half at Dave’s home (nicknamed “The Scarbrough Lair) and released on Futureman Records. After being reviewed favorably by a handful of Power-Pop “E-Zines,” “Happy Ever After” was voted by one as “Debut of the Year.”

Writing, recording and the occasional performing have been Dave’s greatest love and inspiration in life. Relationships with many artists and performers, record shops, music stores, guitar shops, and of course KAUR have been a great influence and a joy to work with over the decades. He continues to write, and is immensely honored by being nominated for the South Dakota Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.

Awards