David Edward Walker (AKA “David Folks”) is a performing “songpoet” who launched his career to significant college airplay via CD releases, Roadside Park (1994) and Refusing to View (1996). In the 1990s, David shared the stage with Rodney Crowell, Richie Havens, Richard Shindell, Jonathan Edwards, Utah Phillips, and Pierce Pettis. He also performed locally as Woody Guthrie in Strand Theater’s (Equity) production of Woody Guthrie: An American Song, toured nationally, performing live on college radio, and at many coffeehouses and venues, including the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, TN and the 25th Anniversary Kerrville Folk Festival in Austin, TX. During this period, David was honored to serve as a board member for the Detroit-area DreamCatchers music project, contributing two Native-themed songs to DreamCatchers CDs, and offering performances to help raise money for the American Indian College Fund and the Bay Mills Indian Community in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan.

After a personal hiatus, David produced and released the Báha’i-themed CD, Summoning the Possible (2010), followed by two digital-only collections – Childhood’s End: Obscure Songs, 1978-1990, Opening My Hand: Obscure Songs, 1991-2010 (2022) – and, more recently, a digital-only single, Path of the Heart (2023).

The massive folk music encyclopedia, Music Hound’s Essential Album Guide to Folk Music, celebrates David’s talents as follows: “With a style that encompasses urban and rural images, rich metaphors, spiritual themes, moving ballads, and ambitious fingerstyle guitar work, David is a singer-songwriter with a special ability to reach listeners on an emotional level.”