David R. Williams

David Richard Williams (author, lawyer, musician, & artist-rights advocate) was born in Utica, NY. Following law school, David launched a part-time consultancy practice, Enterprising Artist Consulting, helping musicians, actors, and other creative people with contract-related matters. In 2015 he left the corporate setting to dedicate himself to this work full time. A fierce advocate for artists’ rights, David Williams holds a JD from New York Law School, and degrees in vocal performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (DMA), and the New England Conservatory of Music (MM), as well as a BM in Musical Studies from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. His book, The Enterprising Musician’s Guide to Performer Contracts, helps performers decipher music industry contracts, and is intended to be the first in an entrepreneurial musicianship series where each focuses on a theme central to a performing musician’s life as an independent contractor. Though he does not practice law, he is a member of the New York State Bar. He most recently was Company Manager for TriCities Opera in Binghamton, New York.