January 23, 2012-
Bon Jovi keyboard sensationalist David Bryan is currently between Bon Jovi world wide tours,but he is not sitting idle on vacation, or traveling the globe. He has been letting his creative juices roll.
Ten years ago 'Memphis' was the dream for David Bryan who joined forces with Joe DiPietro and cranked out a Tony Award winning musical! Now you wouldn't think someone as busy as a member of Bon Jovi wouldn't have the time to pursue such a time consuming venture with all the time it takes to be a part of one of the world's most popular rock bands of all times.
'Memphis' is a script that was pulled from the biography about a Memphis disc jockey by the name of Dewey Phillips. Phillips is best known for being one of the first white DJ's to play black music in the 1950's, according to Access Atlanta.
David took to the script idea, and along with pal, co-writer DiPietro was able to develop the idea into a hit musical that has constantly been filling a minimum of 80% capacity of the Shubert Theatre. Memphis first opened in the theatre in 2009.
In October of 2011 the first national tour of 'Memphis' staring Bryan Fenkart as Huey Calhoun and Felicia Boswell as Felicia Farell opened in Tennessee; by January 31, 2012 the successful and the captivating story of racial harmony instigated by the music will make its Atlanta debut at the Fox Theatre.
"It's entertainment that matters," David Bryan recently said. "It's a message that celebrates what brings people together rather than what separates us. In the 50's it was illegal for a while for a white person and a black person to be married. "
"That is kind of frightening to think about now.But this story is working like crazy across America. Its important for people to see that you can celebrate the spirit of Rock 'n' Roll, but you have to look at where it came from. For me I understand. I grew up as a white Jewish kid [in New Jersey] and there was a lot of anti- Semitism and hate."
Davis Bryan, who will turn 50-years-old on Feb 7 usually at home on a platform on stage surrounded by keyboards when on tour with Bon Jovi [ Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Tico Torres and himself] is finding that he is just as confident and comfortable in the background of the theatre world.
"It's an amazing feat to get a show up everyday, but I'm the first guy to turn the lights on and the last to turn them out."
When asked how David manages to juggle two successful careers he revealed "sleeplessly," laughing and going on to explain that Bon Jovi's down time cycles have coincided well with the intense work producing "Memphis."
Bon Jovi is currently in the process of kicking out a new album-- sorry Bon Jovi fans but there is no ETA on that as of yet.
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