"My album, Celtic Fantasy, is Celtic-inspired music, of course," says violinist David Davidson, "but it's also my personal fantasy of Ireland and Scotland, of my heritage, and of the possibilities for this type of music."

Davidson, the most sought-after violinist in the Nashville recording scene, has a strong classical music background, but also has played thousands of sessions with many of the top names in the fields of country, folk, contemporary Christian, pop and rock music. "I bring my other background, especially my classical training, to everything I play. My family's lineage is Scotch-Irish with the Davidsons originally coming from Tullough County in Scotland. Looking at the success of Secret Garden and "Riverdance", why do so many people around the world love Celtic music? I believe it's genetics. The blood of the Celts has traveled from those islands over the centuries, and now there is a bit of it everywhere. There's a reason you can feel Celtic music deep down in your subconscious."

Although Davidson has played regularly with symphony orchestras and classical ensembles for the past two-and-a-half-decades, he broke into the Nashville session scene in 1983 and began playing on recordings by Alabama, Conway Twitty, Floyd Cramer, George Jones and Eddie Arnold. Over the years he has recorded with virtually every country act who uses strings on their albums -- Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Kathy Mattea, Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Marty Stuart, Faith Hill, Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Lorrie Morgan, Allison Moorer, Steve Earle and-countless others Some ofDavidson's solo spotlights came on' records by Tricia Yearwood and Dolly Parton.

But Davidsons versatility has taken him well beyond the country market. He has played pop music (Neil Diamond, Amy Grant), rock (Matchbox Twenty, Sixpence None The Richer, the Jimmy Page-Robert Plant "No Quarter Tour"), folk (Nanci Griffith, The Indigo Girls) and contemporary Christian (Phil Keaggy, Steven Curtis Chapman, Sandi Patti). David also has arranged strings for Michael W. Smith, Sonic Flood, Out of Eden, and Kim Richey.

When Davidson first arrived in Nashville, he joined the group The A Strings which recorded the album Home For Christmas for Warner Bros. Soon that ensemble became part of the prestigious top session group the Nashville String Machine. In addition, he formed David Davidson & The Praise Ensemble in 1992 to record an album of instrumental hymns (titled Praise Ensemble) for the Christian music market. He followed that recording with a classical chamber music and choir album (Psalms of Everlasting Hope and an album featuring a reading of the Sermon on the Mount utilizing his music both in the background and as interludes.

In the mid-Nineties, Davidson began recording mostly-instrumental music for the Green Hill label -Silver Screen Classics. Prelude to Joy, and Phantom of Broadway (compositions by Andrew Lloyd Webber). Pianist Russell Davis played on a few tracks of Prelude to Joy which led to a duet album, Davidson & Davis' Heartstrings, romantic melodies played only on violin and piano. David also plays on the Green Hill concept album Western Swing.

Davidson serves as concertmaster for The Nashville Chamber Orchestra and co-produced the Warner Bros. album Conversations in Silenc-e which received a "Classical Album of the Year" nomination at the Nashville Music Awards. Davidson also has served as concertmaster on a number of recordings produced by John Mock including two earlier albums in Green Hill's Celtic series -- Celtic Portraits and Celtic Visions -- as well as New England Portraits.

"My interest in Celtic music evolved over several years," explains Davidson. "Many things pushed this evolution. A few songs on Prelude to Joy had a Celtic feel. Then John Mock wrote a Celtic piece called "The Stone" which we premiered in concert with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. I began playing a number of sessions where the producers, asked for a Celtic feeling in the performances. All of this struck a chord, as they say, and I began listening to more traditional Celtic music, studying it and eventually writing my own melodies. Of course the way it comes out of me, it is classically-inspired interpretations of Celtic music. I can't let go of all the Bach and Mozart I've played over the years. Perhaps that makes Celtic Fantasy a I bit different than other recordings."

Davidson, who produced Celtic Fantasy, plays three different violins made by David Ludwik Chrapkiewicz of Rakpievian Fine Violins ("I want the right sound and tone to also express the melody"). Similarly, he uses three pianists (Russell Davis, Pat Coil, and David Huntsinger) to capture different sounds on various songs. Davidson wrote or co-wrote all but two of the tunes on the album (one each was penned by top writers Kristin Wilkinson and Larry Paxton). Most of the album is instrumental, but two compositions have Davidson's lyrics sung by guest vocalists.

Davidson began learning piano at age five. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, he grew up in Winter Haven, Florida. His mother is a pianist, -singer and currently a choral conductor in New York; and his father was an amateur musician on guitar and harmonica. At age nine, David began studying violin and by 14 was the concert master for the All-State Junior High Orchestra. He switched to guitar through high school so he could play in rock and folk groups. David received a scholarship to Florida State University in Tallahassee and went back to violin. By age 19, he began to work as a professional musician. David held the concertmaster position for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra for four years, as well as concertmaster for the Central Florida Camarata and the Festival of American Music in Saranac, New York.

Davidson's favorite violinists range from classical artists David Oistrakh and Gidon Kremer to fiddlers Vassar Clements and Stuart Duncan in the country and bluegrass fields; Martin Hayes, a great Celtic musician; and jazz virtuoso Stephane Grappelli. "I love expressive violin playing," David says.

"For.Celtic Fantasy, my goal was to write beautiful melodies. When I wrote jigs and reels, I wanted them simple and direct. I tried to use a variety of instrumentation throughout the album without the diversity becoming distracting. I worked with great musicians who all brought ideas to the sessions. Throughout it all I tried to capture the emotions and feelings that are associated with Ireland, Scotland and Celtic music, with its many changes in color, emotion, and rhythm."

Celtic Fantasy can be purchased on-line at www.greenhillmusic.com and other music e-tailers, or by calling 1-800-972-5900. To find a local retailer who carries the album, consumers can call 1-800200-4656.

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