Biography

Youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art. That old adage best describes David Knight’s new music. The adult contemporary/R&B singer-songwriter from New York may be in his 50s, but it hasn’t deterred him from pursuing a solo career. After decades of trials and tribulations, Knight is back and as robust as ever. With vintage roots and a modern touch, his forthcoming material harks back to an era when The Commodores and The Brothers Johnson topped the charts. But for Knight, it’s not about resuscitating antiquated sounds — it’s about resurrecting a golden spirit: a time when music was felt, not heard.

From the beginning, Knight has had a spiritual connection with music. As he grew up in Queens, NY, during the 60s and 70s, music was everywhere.

“It was music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” he explained. His mother was a renowned opera singer; his father, a music aficionado. They introduced him to a world of R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, and blues at a young age, when he became infatuated with such artists as Barry White, Marvin Gaye, and The Jackson 5. They even exposed him to genres from other parts of the world. “When my dad was not playing O. C. Smith or some other R&B soul singer, he was playing salsa.”

But Knight never pursued music seriously until tragedy struck. When Knight was 13, he saw his younger brother get killed in an accident. “I took stock of my life and I said, ‘What am I gonna do?’ I said to myself, ‘Marc died at the age of 12. I’m only 13. I guess I can die, too. I need to do something with my life.’”

Over the years Knight honed his musical skills — with piano, drums, bass, and vocals. Although the decades brought much adversity, music has remained his tool for healing and self-improvement. His new material aims to transpose the message that music can be a catalyst for change and personal growth. Inspired by Lionel Richie and jazz players including Stanley Clarke, Knight is currently working on an upcoming solo album. Through its mix of dance songs and ballads, Knight aims to show that with age comes perspective. And with some perspective, incredible things can happen.

“I want people to experience it the way I used to experience music as a child. Growing up back in those days, when the DJ was on the radio and said ‘new music by X, Y, Z artist,’ you did not leave that radio. You would stay right there until they played that song. I want my music to touch people in the heart and soul — for it to be felt.”