From Johnny Cash to Bono, the Influential Nashville Producer You May Have Never Heard Of: David Ferguson

The role of a music producer has always been a bit thankless. They spend hours in a dark studio, rarely stepping foot in the limelight. Their names are typically featured in smaller print alongside the gargantuan talent they produced. In general, they are the silent piece of the booming music we know and love. An individual who has led this life: David Ferguson.

Johnny Cash, John Prine, U2, Tyler Childers, and Sturgill Simpson—Ferguson’s producing collaborations could take up this whole article. His career matches that of George Martin, Rick Rubin, and Phil Spector; though, why have so few people heard of him?

Regardless if you have heard of him or not, the producer’s career has spanned over 40 years, and in those years Ferguson has crafted a legendary legacy.

Nashville Origins

The Nashville native got his start alongside Cowboy Jack Clement, who produced Townes Van Zandt, Waylon Jennings, and Jerry Lee Lewis. It is with Clement that Ferguson’s love and talent for producing started to come to fruition. Ferguson told Holler Country, “I was lucky enough to be his protégé.” Furthermore, it was through this experience that Ferguson learned the “importance of being on time and being dependable. Making sure it’s as in tune and in time as you can get it.”

Attributing Nashville for his musical upbringing, Ferguson makes the music he associates with what Nashville used to be. Back when “Nashville was a well-kept secret,” per Holler Country.

A Fabled Career

A two-time Grammy Winner for his work with Sturgill Simpson and The Del McCoury Band, Ferguson has had his hand in a plethora of Nashville projects whether he was present or not. His influence is far-reaching and does not limit itself to being present in the room. Simpson has called Ferguson a “hillbilly genius,” according to Holler Country.

In addition to his Grammies and creating a recording studio with John Prine, Ferguson has been in films Rattle and Hum and Great Balls of Fire!, as well as wrote and produced the music for the video game, Red Dead Redemption 2. Furthermore, he has released music of his own, including the most recent 2021 record, Nashville No More. A record analyzing the rise and fall of the Nashville music scene.

Seemingly an individual who likes the quaintness of being a producer, Ferguson does not make many media appearances. He is a product of the fictitious folk music he’s produced, as stories and tales linked to him are by word of mouth and almost seem mythical. A living legend, Ferguson just most recently helped Simpson release his new album, Passage Du Desir.

Photo Credit: Alan Messer