Guitarist-singer Dave Hebert (AKA A’Bear), is originally a native of Manitou Springs, Colorado. Dave has spent his musical career in many genres, including rock, reggae, folk, blues, and bluegrass. Right out of college, he toured nationally with mentor and close family friend reggae recording artist John Bayley. Dave is a founding member of Brother Kind, who opened for Merl Saunders and David Grisman at Red Rocks (7/7/97). The group still reunites every so often in Colorado. Currently a resident of Denver, Colorado, Dave relentlessly works on his many different musical projects. When not touring with Melvin Seals and JGB, he performs with many original bands of his own creation such as Working Man’s Grass, a bluegrass Dead band; he also plays solo acoustic gigs throughout the Southwest; and finally, Dave plays lead guitar and vocals for Xtra Ticket, Arizona’s premier Grateful Dead band. Versatility is his trademark. Whether it’s his own songs or songs from the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band catalog, Dave not only captures the feel of songs, he often takes the musical risk of breathing new life into an old familiar tune and puts the A’Bear signature on it. That’s the adventure and this is his journey.
Here is a sample of some of the muscians Dave has played with:
Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, Tubes)
Bill Nershi (String Cheese Incident)
Steve Kimock (Zero, Ratdog, Rhythm Devils)
Jerry Lawson (The Persuasions)
Devon Allman (Honeytribe)
Fareed Hawque (Garaj Mahal)
Berry Sless (Ratdog, Phil Lesh & Friends, Global Drum Project)
Tom Constanten, (Grateful Dead)
Jen Derkin (Deep Banana Blackout, Rhythm Devils)
Papa Mali (7 Walkers)
Ben Combe (Particle, Bad Shoe)
David Gans
Dave’s Bands (Past and Current):
John Bayley and the Sons of Zion 1992 – 1994
Brother Kind 1994 – 1998 *
Xtra Ticket 1999 – present
ABear Brothers 2001 – present *
Workingman’s Grass 2006 – present *
JAW 2007 – present *
Schwag 2010 – present
All Good Things Band 2010 – present *
Terrapin Flyer – 2011 – present
The Dave ABear Band 2011 – present *
*founder