Meet Rock the District 10 Emcee!

Mr. David Simmons

David Simmons: Founder and Creative Director for The UBU Project. An honors graduate of the University of Montana School of Music, David’s diverse career as an educator, performer, producer, recording artist, inspirational speaker, worship leader and mental health advocate has taken him to all 50 states, 14 countries and 3 continents. He has served as Education Director and Teaching Artist for Arizona Broadway Theater (Phoenix, AZ), Desert Foothills Theater (Scottsdale, AZ) Fort Peck Fine Arts Council (Glasgow, MT), and as a Teaching Artist for Child’s Play Theater (Mesa, AZ) and the Missoula Children’s Theater (Multiple International Residencies). Additional teaching experience includes residencies with the University of Montana (Missoula, MT), Casper College (Casper, WY) and Estrella Mountain Community College (Phoenix, AZ). David continued his vocal studies with Kammer Sänger Otto Edelman of the Vienna Statsöper and jazz theory and bass with Dartanyan Brown of Chase, Phoebe Snow and Sly and the Family Stone. He was nominated for the Arizona Governor’s Arts Award in Arts Education and has also served on the Arizona Department of Education Arts and Culture Advisory Board. In addition to his work with The UBU Project David heads up the songwriting program at Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center here in the Phoenix Valley and has recently released a new CD entitled HOPE (featuring members of REO Speedwagon, Tower of Power, King Crimson, A-ha, his son Niko Simmons and his brother JK Simmons).

Described by some in the entertainment industry as a “true Renaissance man,”  David’s work as a performer, songwriter, and composer has been compared to the likes of James Taylor, Paul Simon, Harry Chapin, Colin Hay, Carlos Santana, Crosby Stills & Nash, George

Thorogood, Jim Croce, Leonard Cohen, Dave Matthews, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, John Mayer, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. David has  performed live with Alice Cooper, Dash Cooper, The Solid Rock House Band and members of REO Speedwagon, A-ha, Tower of Power,  Sly and the Family Stone, The Phoenix Symphony, The Schubert Kirche Orchester (Vienna) and has served as  Music Director, Bassist and featured soloist on tour with Motown Recording Artists: The Drifters.

In addition, David is a thriving survivor of his own suicide attempts, a grateful, recovering alcoholic and lives with the diagnoses of major depressive disorder recurrent and free-floating anxiety. This, in addition to his professional training and ongoing partnership with experts in childhood trauma, helps David bring a unique and hope-filled perspective and dedication to his creative work with The UBU Project’s Social-Emotional / Prevention Residencies in the schools and community at large including a recent residency at Cactus Shadows High School here in the CCUSD. Whether in a classroom, coffee shop, rock club, worship space or classical concert hall, David brings a wealth of experience, energy, and encouragement to every stage, school or project he encounters. David currently makes his home in the Phoenix West Valley.

www.ubuproject.org