David Ackles was an American actor, pianist, author and songwriter. He recorded 4 albums worth of singer-songwriter material between 1968 and 1973.
Background
David Thomas Ackles was born on February 20, 1937, in Rock Island, Illinois, United States, into a show-business family. His grandfather was a music hall comedian and his grandmother was leader of an all-woman band of the type featured in the movie Some Like It Hot.
Education
Ackles attended the University of Southern California, where he received a degree in film studies and a graduate degree. During his time at the university, David took a year out in Scotland to attend Edinburgh University, where he studied literature.
David Ackles began performing in vaudeville at the age of four and spent the greater part of his career in activities directly or indirectly related to the performing arts. Between 1946 and 1949, Ackles took a role in the film series Rusty the Dog for Columbia Pictures. In college, he created ballets and composed choral music.
By the late 60s he was writing songs for Jac Holzman at Elektra Records, who employed him initially as a songwriter. None of the songs he wrote were right for any of Elektra's artists, and Holzman suggested that Ackles record his own work. Over the next five years three highly praised albums appeared - David Ackles (1969, later reissued as Road to Cairo), Subway to the Country (1970), American Gothic (1972).
Despite critical acclaim, his unusual voice and eclectic style were not to the taste of the general public. Something of an artist's artist, Ackles had a number of songs covered by others. In the States, David played many shows and concerts, including one in 1970 at the Troubadour, West Hollywood, supporting Elton John, who became an immediate fan.
David switched to Columbia for his fourth album, D.T. Ackles: Five & Dime (1973). However, it didn't assist his musical career, as a good album was bought only by few people. The contract was terminated and Ackles drifted into relative obscurity until Elektra re-released their three albums on CD in the mid-Nineties.
Ackles then returned to writing television scripts, along with work on ballet scores and some lecturing on commercial songwriting. He completed the score for a musical about Aimee Semple McPherson, Sister Aimee, in the early Nineties. He settled on a six-acre horse farm near Los Angeles and worked as a professor of theatre for USC. He was involved in student theatre production and had a success with Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera in 1997.
David was also the executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Society of Fund-Raising Executives (now the National Association of Fundraising Professionals) and was a part of the Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop in Los Angeles (now the Academy of New Musical Theatre).
A committed Christian, David was a member of the Pasadena All Saints Episcopal Church.
Personality
Ackles had strong commitments to helping others, both in a direct sense and through his writing.
Physical Characteristics:
In 1981, a drunk driver rammed David’s car and was severely injured. He spent six months in a wheelchair. It took years before he was able to return to the piano, but his arm's nerves never recovered.
Later in life David overcame a bout of cancer, which cost him part of his left lung. Indeed, he remained remarkably cheerful, as if in denial of his illness, despite the obvious pain that he suffered towards the end. In doing this, David's bravery became an inspiration to the many people who knew him.
Quotes from others about the person
"Ackles taught me that writing songs didn’t have to be moon/spoon/June. That you could write intelligently about more serious subjects." - Phil Collins
"I could not believe that I was on the same stage with someone like David Ackles who opened for me at the Troubadour. David Ackles was one of my heroes." - Elton John
"Ackles is one of the best America has to offer." - Troubadour John
Connections
David Ackles was married to Janice Vogel. The marriage produced a son, George.
Wife:
Janice Vogel
Son:
George Ackles
References
American Troubadours: Groundbreaking Singer-Songwriters of the 60s
This book shows how nine talented artists - David Ackles, David Blue, Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, Phil Ochs, Tom Rapp, Tim Rose and Tom Rush - each expanded the standard pop blueprint of the day and made a significant contribution to rock's coming of age, with songs like "If I Were a Carpenter", "Everybody's Talkin" and "Hey Joe". Features photos throughout, discographies, and a great 32-page color section.