Who is this LaMotte guy anyway...?

It's been seventeen years since David LaMotte has had a real job or a real haircut. No one could accuse him of being a slacker, though. In that same time he has released 10 CDs and performed 2000 shows in 45 states and on four continents. The Boston Globe says he "pushes the envelope with challenging lyrics and unusual tunings, but he also pays homage to folk tradition." The Washington Times describes LaMotte's music as "guitar spanking open-tuning grooves as well as gentle folk-tinged pop," and folk music magazine Dirty Linen calls him “a folk poet of elegant simplicity.” His latest release, Change, hit #11 on the Folk-DJ chart and took four awards in the SAW Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, including Silver in Instrumental and Gold in Folk. David maintains a tireless tour schedule of about 200 road days each year, but he does much more than that. He’s also the author of a successful children’s book based on his award-winning children's song S.S. Bathtub.

In the last few years David has been gaining recognition not only for his music, but for his humanitarian work as well. and is the co-founder and volunteer director of a non-profit organization, PEG Partners, which funds projects at schools in Guatemala to improve learning environments there, from building schools to expanding libraries, paying teacher salaries and funding school lunch programs. The twelve schools that PEG works with across Guatemala include the Escuelita de Preschool David LaMotte in the village of Tzanchaj, which opened in 2005 and was built with donations collected at David's concerts.

In late 2007 he was featured in a collection of reader nominations for "Heroes of Humanity" in Heifer International's publication World Ark.

LaMotte’s social consciousness is also evident in his work with at-risk high school students, and because of his strong commitment to peacemaking, he has traveled from Bosnia to Belfast, and tours internationally each year promoting intercultural understanding through music.

A strong advocate for arts education, David presents classes and keynotes at schools, churches and conferences as well as serving as faculty at writing workshops such as Augusta State University’s Sand Hills Writers Conference and Warren-Wilson College’s Swannanoa Gathering, as well as the Auckland Folk Festival in New Zealand and the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas.

LaMotte's music has been honored with numerous awards and grants as well as artist sponsorships from Taylor Guitars and John Pearse Strings. His song Dark and Deep was included on Songs Inspired By Literature, Chapter One, a benefit CD to raise money for adult literacy. Other artists on that CD include Bruce Springsteen, Aimee Mann and Suzanne Vega.

Rotary International recently awarded LaMotte a 2008 Rotary World Peace Fellowship, one of only sixty worldwide. As a Rotary World Peace Fellow, he will attend the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, beginning in February of 2009 to pursue an Advanced Master's Degree in International Relations, Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Currently, he is on a "farewell tour" which will take him all over the U.S., as well as to Europe and Australia, before he puts his music career on hold to pursue his vocation as a peacemaker. The last show is scheduled for November 29 at the Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC.

If you're interested in reading a long article from the Black Mountain newspaper about David's family's history and involvement in Western North Carolina, click here.