David Rawlings and Gillian Welch

David Todd Rawlings is a professional guitarist and singer. He is best known as the longtime musical partner of bluegrass (Bluegrass music) singer-songwriter Gillian Welch.

David attended the Berklee College of Music and studied with guitar professor Lauren Passarelli.

He is known in his own right as a producer (Record producer), having produced Welch and bands such as Old Crow Medicine Show. He has recently performed under the billing of "Dave Rawlings Machine". He has also contributed to the Bright Eyes (Bright Eyes (band)) album Cassadaga (Cassadaga (album)), the Ryan Adams album Heartbreaker (Heartbreaker (Ryan Adams album)) (which opens with "Argument with David Rawlings Concerning Morrissey"), and the Robyn Hitchcock album Spooked (Spooked (album)).

Rawlings co-wrote the tracks "To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)" and "Touch, Feel and Lose", with Ryan Adams.

David Rawlings achieves his signature guitar sound flatpicking a small archtop guitar. The 1935 Epiphone Olympic that has been his primary instrument was a mid-priced guitar for its time, with a carved arched solid sprucewood top, carved arched solid mahogany back and mahogany sides. It sold for about $35 in 1935. The guitars lower bout measures 13 5/8 inches wide, and it has three piece f-holes.

The Dave Rawlings Machine album A Friend of a Friend has a release date of November 17, 2009. Rawlings recorded the album in Nashville, and produced it himself. Co-writers and musicians on the album include Welch, members of Old Crow Medicine Show, Bright Eyes, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.cite weburl=Dave Rawlings Steps Into Spotlight With A Friend Of A Friendlast=Grafffirst=Garydate=September 29, 2009work=Billboard.comaccessdate=2009-09-30