Dave McArthur

If it has strings, Dave McArthur will give it a go. As a boy in Naracoorte he strummed a tennis racket and produced a fair rendition of English Country Garden. With the arrival of his first guitar in 1966, there was nothing holding him back. Over the years he has accumulated a range of skills on acoustic nylon and steel guitars, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, bouzouki, dobro and lap steel. He has sported his talents in a variety of settings, ranging from the early days of Cockatoo Lake with Alan and Colin through to men's singing groups, church hoedowns and an endless stream of parties. He first took on lead guitar with the foundation of the Bald Eagles, which was all Dave's fault in the first place following a well-oiled Cockatoo Lake reunion weekend at his place some three years ago. He's been assiduous in learning the ins and outs of lead since then and with Gretsch in hand he cuts a fine figure in performance. Which isn't to say that Dave's left all else behind. On stage he's surrounded by a veritable instrument shop: two lap steels, acoustic, the Gretsch, banjo, mandolin and anything new that's said "buy me" as he's trawled around a music shop. He too is a perfectionist, especially when it comes to tuning. He's always doing it. Dave's the CEO of a large retail business and when he's not listening to the Eagles he's thinking about them. While he tells us he also grows grapes for one of Rockford's specialised wines, we suspect that they actually grow themselves. In spite of the Eagles droning constantly across the vineyard. Dave does the odd guest spot on lead vocals for the Baldies.