June 27, 2017 – Dave Rosser (Afghan Whigs) was born David Clark Rosser in St.Louis, Missouri on August 3, 1966. Raised in Gadsden, Alabama is where he first learned to play guitar and started what became a lifelong passion. After high school, David attended college and eventually moved to Memphis, where he worked in the family business for a short time. His calling as a career musician was apparent, and it led him to Auburn, Alabama, then finally to New Orleans in 1992.
He adopted New Orleans as his beloved city, and here his career took shape. He spent many years with the band Metal Rose, played throughout the French Quarter, and did studio work with many area musicians.
Rosser was a long-time friend of the Whigs’ lead singer Greg Dulli, and played with him on Dulli’s side projects The Gutter Twins and the Twilight Singers before joining the Whigs in 2014.
Rosser played in both Twilight Singers and the Gutter Twins, bands Dulli formed after the Whigs went on hiatus in the early 2000s. In the mid-2000s, David joined the bands Twilight Singers, the Gutter Twins and, finally, The Afghan Whigs. He also collaborated with Ani DiFranco, the New Orleans-based folk singer, and Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue, among others. His own band was called Get Busy. During his career, Rosser also contributed guitar work and/or songwriting to albums by Mark Lanegan, Joseph Arthur, Tim Heidecker, Ani DiFranco, and Marc Broussard, among others.
His musical contributions as an artist were numerous and his career led him all over the world. He made appearances on shows such as “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Late Night with David Letterman.”
Despite his tremendous talent and success as a professional musician, David is most remembered for being a fine person. All who knew him describe him as being intelligent, funny, generous and an encourager to everyone he met. He was a loyal friend and had an ability to find a common connection with everyone.
After being diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in October 2016, his friends responded with an outpouring of love and support. A series of benefit concerts in New Orleans and Los Angeles raised money to assist him during his convalescence. Many notable musicians joined the Afghan Whigs for the shows, including Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, Ani DiFranco, Mark Lanegan, Moby, C.C. Adcock & the Lafayette Marquis, Eagles of Death Metal, Josh Homme, Morning 40 Federation, King James & the Special Men and Carina Round. The Afghan Whigs released their latest album “In Spades” in May. David was unable to join the band on tour for the album, but he was most proud of this project.
David Rosser passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2017,
