Dave Darling (born in 1958 in San Francisco, California, United States) is an American record producer, songwriter, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist. He relocated to Los Angeles, California, in 1980 while recording an album project and decided to stay in Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. Darling has worked with many successful recording artists such as The Temptations, Glen Campbell, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Stray Cats, Ricky Lee Jones, Rusty Young, John Waite, Def Leppard, Tom Waits, Janiva Magness, Jack Johnson, Cherie Currie, Brie Howard and more. He has produced six Grammy nominated records. In addition to being a record producer, Darling, has been a member of several bands, most notably Boxing Gandhis and 58.

Professional music career

Brian Setzer

Darling has produced and mixed ten albums with Brian Setzer, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, and The Stray Cats, five of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. Setzer Goes Instru-Mental! was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental album in 2011. Darling appeared in the video documentary, Stray Cats: Rumble in Brixton in 2004 and It's a Rockabilly World! documentary in 2016.

Janiva Magness

Darling has produced six records for singer, Janiva Magness. Her 2016 release, Love Wins Again, (co-written and produced by Darling) was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. The album debuted at number 5 on the Billboard Blues Chart, number 2 on iTunes Blues, reached number 1 on the Blues radio chart, and spent two months on the Americana radio chart. Their collaborative, I Won't Cry won Song of the Year at the Blues Music Awards in 2013.

Boxing Gandhis

Darling is the founder of Boxing Gandhis which was signed to the record label Mesa in 1993. The band has recorded four albums. They climbed the charts with a No. 5 hit on the Billboard Triple A (Adult Album Alternative) charts with the song, "If You Love Me (Why Am I Dyin')" off their debut album after touring the US as opening act for the Dave Matthews Band and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. The song's video also garnered a Billboard Music Award for "Best Jazz/Adult Contemporary" which was directed by Brian Lockwood. "If You Love Me (Why Am I Dyin')" was featured in Episode 3 of the 2011 season of the HBO Original Series True Blood.

58

58 was an eclectic, alternative, pop-rock band foursome that included Darling, Nikki Sixx, Steve Gibb and Bucket Baker. They released, Diet for a New America on May 16, 2000 on Sixx's record label, Americoma.

Film, television, and commercials

Darling's music and/or production has been placed in films, TV shows, and commercials such as True Blood, So You Think You Can Dance, Ed TV, Father of the Bride, What a Girl Wants, Entourage, Chuck, Bad Girls Club, Ugly Betty, Ritz Crackers, and Lincoln Navigator.

Discography