William "Bill" Davis is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is the founder, lead guitarist, and lead vocalist of the rock band Dash Rip Rock, and a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Davis founded Dash Rip Rock in 1984 and is often credited as a pioneer in "country punk," "cowpunk," and alt-country music that combines elements of rock with country and outlaw country with punk rock, but Davis has said in interviews that he considers his music to be widely roots-based. His work has been inspired by a variety of styles, including rock, country, power pop, punk, soul and, at times, Cajun. The Austin Chronicle called him "the brains behind Dash's brawn, a barroom poet with a wicked sense of humor and a shameless knack for a good lick."
Other projects
Davis contributed guitar work and backing vocals on six songs on Glenn Tilbrook's solo album titled Transatlantic Ping Pong. His guitar work is also featured on Mojo Nixon's Root Hog or Die, and on the country punk supergroup Otis album that featured John Doe, Bill Davis, and Country Dick Montana and was produced by Jim Dickinson. He also was a guitarist for two years with Trent Summar and the New Row Mob. In 2013 Davis contributed guitar work and vocals on The Vibrators song "Rock N' Roll Clown" for their record On the Guest List. In 2011 and 2014, Davis was a member and founder of the sometimes band Jello Biafra and the New Orleans Raunch & Soul All-Stars. In 2012, he played lead guitar for a special show in New Orleans featuring Clarence "Blowfly " Reid, the grandfather of dirty rap. In 2014 Punk News announced that Bill Davis would be appearing on lead guitar and lead vocals on a track on a forthcoming Black Oak Arkansas tribute album with Greg Ginn of Black Flag, Paul Leary and Jeff Pinkus of Butthole Surfers, Shooter Jennings, and others. In 2014, Davis was writing for both a forthcoming solo release and a new Dash Rip Rock record and playing live with Dash Rip Rock. He spoke with a New Orleans journalist about some of his earliest guitar influences: "A bunch of really strange guitar players I met in the 80s really influenced me. Danny Gatton, who committed suicide, was one of the most monstrous Telecaster players to ever walk the planet. Gatton worked with another guy I met named Evan Johns. They were both from Washington, D.C. and played in rockabilly bands, but the rockabilly kind of turned punk. Evan introduced me to Danny Gatton’s style," Davis said. "Going way back, I loved Ace Frehley from Kiss. It was really simple. I like guitar that has a country flavor. Pete Townshend is another one, and Bily Zoom from the band X really inspired the punk rock side of my style." In 2015, Davis formed an alt-country band called The Convergers. The band released their debut EP "Hang-Dog Hymns" on the Drag Snake label.
Jello Biafra & the New Orleans Raunch and Soul All-Stars Walk on Jindal's Splinters
The Convergers "Hang-Dog Hymns"
J.D. Pinkus, Greg Ginn, Eddie Spaghetti, Nik Turner, Rickie Lee Reynolds, Jim "Dandy" Mangrum, Shooter Jennings, Jeff Clayton, Paul Leary, Jello Biafra, Joey Killingsworth, Mickey Rafael, "Mutants of the Monster"
