Courtesy Sean Kammer

Credit: Ron Soltys

Meet Ohio resident David Ullman: singer, songwriter, artist and full-time student. Is there anything he doesn’t do? Ullman has been interested in singing and performing since he was 7 years old.

“I used to make Buddy Holly tapes in my bathroom,” he joked.

His desire to pursue music took flight from there. However, his interest in filmmaking and outside work overshadowed that accomplishment.

Aside from living the music life with a crazy agenda, Ullman is also a full-time student at Kent State, majoring in electronic media production. He admitted that he balances out school and performing pretty well for himself, despite the hectic schedule.

“I enjoy doing things rather than just making the music” he said.

Ullman said he likes to take part in the visual side along with making the music. He helped produce his own music video as well.

“I have been making videos and documentaries with a creative group of friends for a long time,” he said. “I feel like the CD that’s coming out is just another one of those projects.”

Now Ullman is back to focusing on his music. The highlight of Ullman’s music career is his CD release show that will be held at Musica in Akron on Saturday at 8 p.m. This release allows Ullman to share the one thing that was three years in the making: his debut album Dog Days.

“It’s a way to celebrate my completion and accomplishments,” he said of the album.

Ullman said that although he doesn’t want the fame and baggage, he still hopes to share his music with people outside of Ohio.

“I don’t want to make music my profession because that will allow me to make sacrifices,” Ullman said. “But I still would like to share my album with people outside of the area.”

Ullman described Dog Days as a “rough-and-tumble kind of record.”

At his CD release party, Ullman hopes not only to satisfy his fans who have been there for him awaiting his CD, but will also have some guest appearances at the show, along with some other surprises up his sleeve.

“People know me as a solo act,” he said.

On Saturday, Ullman plans to ditch the solo sound and instead have a live band to back him up.

“Most of the songs on the album have a live band sound,” he said. “This event is to prevail it.”

The band includes: bass guitarist Jeff Gargas (President of FTF records, a Kent-area record label.), keyboardist and drummer Brian Yost (Drummer for NJ’s and the Jeff) and last, but not least, electric guitarist and brother of David, Brian Ullman.

Brian Ullman will also be performing a solo act at the show.

Ullman will be premiering on Black Squirrel Radio’s “Hear and Now” on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. with Abby Kondas, who will be opening at Ullman’s CD release. They will both perform on air, and Ullman will give away advanced copies of his CD. He will have another premiere on Jim Chento’s “Radio Sandbox Program” on 91.3 WAPS at 11 p.m. Friday night as well, doing the same routine.

Contact all reporter Samantha Tosado at [email protected].