David started playing music publicly aged 8, as a member of a harmonica duo.  He studied classical trombone for 7 years, and moonlighted on 5-string, tenor and plectrum banjos and mandolin in the Oldham BMG Orchestra. At 14 he and Hazel Taylor (11-year old British classic banjo champion) won the Emile Grimshaw Challenge Trophy for acoustic duet.  He played on television and radio in his teens.

As a student David haunted folk clubs, for some time running the Liverpool Polytechnic folk club.  Later, he moved to London where for some time he played and taught banjo and mandolin full-time professionally.  For 10 years he was a member of John Softley's Paradise String Band and sometimes played with the Paris-based Billy Hills and his Hoopin' and Hollerin' Hillbillies.  He and John Softley were both contributors to Jean-Marie Redon's Eurobanjo project.

In his early twenties David contributed to 'British Bluegrass News', 'Grass Seen', 'Old-Time Music', 'Fretwire', Jules Vincent's 'Banjoist's Broadsheet' and John Baldry's 'British Bluegrass and Old Time Mandolin'.  He conducted interviews for Fretwire, amongst them of Tony Trischka and David Grisman.

In the early 90s he and John Softley topped the bill 2 years running at Julian Vincent's annual 'Reading Banjo Festival'.

More recent projects include assistance to the music arranger for Ballet Rambert, tuition to a music student (whose first instrument is banjo!) and "hobby selling" of banjo tabs (his catalogue extends to over 650 titles, collected and arranged by himself over many years).  He has almost completed a book on advanced banjo playing and is seeking a publisher. His two children show no inclination to learn the banjo!

David is the Director of a training and change management consultancy.

David Cotton
Holmeside Cottage
St. Margaret's Road
Altrincham
Cheshire
WA14 2AR
Tel Home: 0161-928-4811 Write to David

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Updated 8th August 2002