Darah Hubbard
Bobby Dade is adaptable.
As a musician with a broad genre range, that trait serves him well. The soft-spoken, 39-year-old journeyman artist brings his rugged gospel, bluesy soul sound to gigs at diverse venues across North Texas.
Consequently, he encounters diverse audiences, which fits his wheelhouse.
As mentioned, Dade can adapt.
“I’ve always liked [performing] live ... the interpretation of my art,” he says. “The raw performance is always the best to display your art and show your true expression. I’ve always leaned toward that.”
Performing live, “I have the freedom to bend the rules,” he says. “You can shake up your genre. Whether it’s performing in front of an all-Black or all-white crowd or mixed, I’ve always liked to adapt the performance to whatever the audience is.
“It opens up a conversation.”
That approach — performing gospel music live — stems from his upbringing in churches in and around Fort Worth.
“There’s just something about hearing that live performance,” he says. “It’s a different dynamic. It’s something about growing up in gospel or church. I’ve always evolved from that, that spiritual or electric environment.”
Dade had significant musical influences from his family. His mother was a keyboardist who taught him how to play the piano. At around 8 or 9 years old, he picked up the drums.
“Growing up, we were all singers, vocalists, or musicians,” he says of his sisters and other close family members. “We were taught to try something and not be afraid.”
As an adult, Dade still seeks to expand his instrumental prowess, which includes piano, acoustic guitar, and whatever else he can get his hands on.
Darah Hubbard
In his online bio, Dade said his performances evoke the likes of Otis Redding, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. He calls his art “eclectic feel-good music.”
Dade lists a significant mentor in his musical journey — Grammy Award-winner Leon Bridges of Fort Worth.
Last month, Dade says Bridges invited him to join him at a pop-up performance at The Boiled Owl Tavern, a Tex-Mex restaurant in Fort Worth where Bridges worked.
“I’ve created a friendship with him,” Dade says. “We’ve kept up with each other. He’s always down-to-earth. He’s always been there, as far as a friend, whether supporting a show or everyone once in a while — knowing how busy he is — inviting me out to play. That was a really great honor.”
Dade calls himself “local known but with a kind of back-but-never-left kind of vibe.”
He’s back to producing more music, just to “revamp and revise,” maybe spend additional time recording original work.
“I’m going to get focused back on just working on some original music that I’ve had on the back burner for a while.”
BY THE WAY ...
Check the listings on his Facebook page. He’ll score gigs at grand openings, weddings, weekly residencies, or formal ceremonies.
Dade's Top 5 Favorite Albums
- The Carnival by Wyclef Jean
- Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder
- The Anthology by Curtis Mayfield
- Legend by Bob Marley
- Thriller by Michael Jackson
From The Feed
1. Recording session.
2. With Jake Paleschic, Abraham Alexander, and Leon Bridges.
3. At Embargo, from Dade’s early days of performing in Fort Worth.
4. “On my road to keep Fort Worth funky.”
5. With Leon Bridges at Boiled Owl. “Overjoyed to share a friendship with such an amazing artist.”
6. Dade’s love for music runs from reggae to rock to funk to pop.
7. Bill Withers, whom Dade calls his “most identifiable artist.”
