Effective period / Period of releases: 1953 - 1958

Dave Burgess, born in Lancaster, California, was the guitarist for The Champs, who had a #1 US/#5 UK hit with the Mexican-tinged, saxophone-based instrumental Tequila. He has also worked as a session musician and he was a songwriter before he joined The Champs, most notably penning the hit I'm Available for Margie Rayburn in 1957, which reached #9 in the U.S. the same year.

Burgess continued in the music industry after The Champs. In the 80s he managed singer/songwriter Don McLean and is credited with production of several McLean records.

In 2015 he attracted the ire of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences when he auctioned the Grammy he won for Tequila.