Voices in the Hall: Dave Cobb

About Dave Cobb

Dave Cobb is the most respected and admired producer of country music’s 2010s, or whatever we call the second decade of the still-new century. He has produced much-beloved (and often awarded) works by Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sturgill Simpson, Brent Cobb, and many more.

Peter on Episode 2: Dave Cobb

Dave Cobb is a community organizer. He brings people together, eschews competition, and fosters interaction.

A producer’s job is hard to define. It can be different things at different times, but in essence what a producer does is provide a campus for creativity, where recording artists and musicians feel comfortable and assured, and where songs are chosen for right and righteous reasons. A music producer is like a combination of a baseball manager and a general manager: You need to collect the proper personnel, and ask them to do the proper things at the proper times, all for the common good.

So, Dave Cobb is really good at this stuff. This is in part due to his affable nature, in part due to his shrewd decisions, and in part due to his incredible rhythm guitar playing. Each day, he walks into the Music Row studio once known as RCA Studio A and facilitates greatness. He cares about this stuff, and his skill and caring cause us to regard his creations with respect and regard. If Dave Cobb is involved in the process, I want to hear the recorded outcome.

My talk with Dave involved philosophy, biography, and inside stories. He’s a special talent, and a large part of that talent is his incredible ability to disregard anything involving ego in favor of anything involving the joy and importance of creation. The more time Dave spends in Nashville, the more time the rest of us appreciate his lessons, learn his methodology, and dig his music.

LEARN MORE