Dave Rose

We’re excited to sit down with longtime music industry veteran Dave Rose for this installment of The Vinyl Five. Dave is the founder of Deep South Entertainment and brings decades of experience across artist management, promotion, and live events.

Throughout his career, he has helped shape the paths of influential artists while remaining deeply connected to the culture behind the music. His passion for albums as complete artistic statements continues to inform his work and perspective in today’s evolving music landscape.

1. Gordon Lightfoot at Royal Albert Hall

Gordon is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and I sadly never got the chance to hear him perform live. It just felt like a special piece as this was his final album.

Q&A

In a world of streaming and almost limitless titles available, why do you think people are going back to vinyl? 

As an artist manager, I always tell artists "You can't autograph a stream!" There's just something personal, artistic, and timeless to a vinyl record.

If you had (or have) your dream vinyl listening room, what would/does it look like? What would/does it sound like?

I work in the music business so my office is my dream listening room. I'm surrounded by creativity, songs, and vinyl records. With my Victrola turntable and Bose speakers, it sounds absolutely amazing.

What's your favorite record store?

Schoolkids Records, Raleigh NC.

2. Carpenters - the Singles 1969-1973

I'm a huge Carpenters fan and it all traces back to my Mom. She listened to the Carpenters nonstop as she would drive me around town, so when I finally started buy 45 singles back in the day, Carpenters were some of my first 45s, and as a result I felt it was appropriate to buy their Singles album.

Q&A

When you shop for records, do you make a plan or just ransack the stacks and hope for the best?

No plan. I just search for whatever jumps out at me.

When listening to records, what's your go-to beverage?

Green Tea.

What is the most important album in your current collection? What is the weirdest? Rarest?

Important: Boston's debut album. It was the first full album I ever owned. Because my name is David Rose, a lot of people have given me the album David Rose and His Orchestra Play The Stripper. I've always found it entertaining that the actual name of that album is "David Rose & His Orchestra Play The Stripper and Other Fun Songs for the Family."

3. Bob Marley - Legend

It's hard to not love Bob Marley and at a time when the world seems in chaos, Bob is the calm to the storm.

Q&A

On a 10-scale how much of an audiophile are you really?

I'm a 5. Quality counts, but I also listen to a lot of demos in my line of work, so I am a fan of a great song first.

Did you make mixtapes as a kid?

Absolutely. With my Panasonic Boom Box and K-Mart brand cassette tapes. I made j-card sleeves with the song titles and would usually do them by genre... Top 40, rock, punk, etc.

What are some of your favorite music films or documentaries?

My favorite music documentary is a rarely known one called Bandwagon. It's about an indie rock band in the mid-90s. It was shot in my hometown of Raleigh, NC and very accurately describes being in an indie band in the 90s.

4. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits

My son is learning to play drums and he loves playing Tom Petty. I felt this was a good album for the family!

Q&A

If your career had a soundtrack, what artists would be on it and why?

Boston, Kiss, Stryper, Sixpence None The Richer, Little Feat, Bruce Hornsby, Marcy Playground, Lit, Lainey Wilson, Parmalee, Jason Michael Carroll, and Allison Moorer. All acts I have managed with the exception of Boston and Kiss - I have never managed those two. But they were the first two albums I ever bought as a kid.

Do you organize your records? If so, how?

No, and it's a major character flaw of mine.

Any favorite record labels?

Flatiron, Thirty Tigers, Dualtone, Sun, Glassnote, Merge.

5. Elvis 30 #1 Hits

My son is named Elvis, and sadly I've never owned an Elvis Pressley album, until now. Also, I was doing some work with David Bendeth when he got the gig remixing some of these songs and I recall the excitement in his voice as he would talk about this project. For those reasons, I felt this is a must for my collection.

Listen in Hi-Res

As part of our Vinyl Five series, we ask our esteemed participants to play their thoughtfully picked records on a premium Victrola Hi-Res turntable while sharing their thoughts and feelings. Using either wireless aptX™ Adaptive Bluetooth connectivity or wired with a switchable preamp standard RCA outs, Hi-Res turntables provide vinyl listening in stunning clarity.