David C. Knight

Founder, Music Talks Educational Network (MTEN)

David Knight has been surrounded by music and entrepreneurship since birth. Born in Queens, New York, David and his siblings grew up behind musical stages and on tour busses watching his mother, an opera singer and act; his father and grandmother were both entrepreneurs, his father a chef, owning his own catering business and his grandmother a successful real estate investor were his early influences in entrepreneurship. “We sat in the back seat of Nana’s Cadillac and watched her deposit money in the bank all the time!”  

David started playing piano at the age of six by walking up to the family piano and starting to play. His choice of musical instrument came in 1976 when he received his first bass guitar from his grandparents. His musical influences are Stanley Clarke, Louis Johnson, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones to name a few.

A self taught musician during his formative years. David attended Five Towns College of music for two years. As a bandleader, artist development came via the bands manager and producer. “Our manager would not allow us to do anything without handling the business first.” “He even forced us to breakup legally by having us hire a lawyer to draft a co-publishing agreement between the bands songwriters on the songs written while the band was together.” 

After the bands break up and with his entrepreneurship spirit in tow, David decided to gain control over his career by joining the home recording boom of the 1980’s and building a recording studio in his home. Leveraging his ability to become a freelance composer and producer. This led to projects for Muhammad Ali, RCA Records, Converse and P.F. Flier sneakers, Ford Motors and dance recording artist Fonda Rae.

As his music career was blowing up, his personal life was imploding. Four blows stopped him cold, the deaths of his brother, father and grandmother (Nana) along with a divorce leaving him a single dad and devastated! Years of asking “why” followed. These life experiences began David’s personal development mission. He embarked on an entire lifestyle change, incorporating healthy eating, an exercise program and educating himself on the human body, mind and soul.

In 1998 David was asked to assist in the production of the New York Music and Internet Expo, a large-scale independent artist event held at the New Yorker Hotel. After two successful years assisting and co-producing the event, David was asked to produce the final show held at Madison Square Garden in 2001.

2001-2004 again with entrepreneurship spirit in tow, he created and produced  “Live On Demand,” a large-scale international concert in Thailand. Sadly he had to halt the events production due to South East Asia’s 2004’s tsunami. David embarked on his next musical mission.

David’s own ‘gain knowledge, then live and let live’ philosophy led him to dedicate himself to helping fellow musicians improve their careers and prospects in a notoriously tough industry.  

His drive to inspire and educate is behind the creation of his company, Music Talks Educational Network and three years producing seminars for musicians, Music Talks Sessions. And from these enlightening seminars, David has built his dream: Music Talks Educational Center (MTEC), a virtual reality school for artists that focuses on entrepreneurship, personal development and artist development.   

His primary goal is for Music Talks Educational Network and MTEC is nothing short of becoming the leading global educational learning communities to help artists understand that that they must embrace and practice entrepreneurship, personal development and artist development to either acquire or maintain success in the music industry.