David Shepherd Grossman defines the term working musician." To provide for his wife and ~month-old son, he plays 30 or more gigs a month.

"I'm a performer, I play every night of the week," says Grossman, who's kept up the pace for three years. "I'm sort of proud of it. If I have 29 gigs, I better find me another one real fast!"

Like a mailman on his appointed rounds, almost nothing can keep Grossman from playing.

A broken foot once caused him to miss two shows until he hired someone to carry his gear and went to his gigs on crutches. Last year, his dentist tried to keep him down.

"I got my wisdom teeth out, but had people sing for me with me being there playing guitar. It killed me when I missed three gigs because of that," Grossman says. "It's like being Jackie Chan or something!"

That kind of dedication to music also led him to begin the Songwriter's Circus, held the first Sunday of each month at Balboa Cafe in Tempe. The free shows feature local and out-of-state songwriters, flown in by Grossman.

"The room is usually silent: I've only seen people talkative once in the dozen times we've done it,- he says. "It's interesting, because even if you're bored with one song the next person is coming right up and you never know what he or she is going to do."

Grossman will play at Sunday's show himself - something he rarely does.

"It's not that I'm overly modest, but it's like eating in your own restaurant when it's still open." he says. "There's times when you should take the spotlight and times when you shouldn't."

And the events are starting to bear fruit in the musical community.

"There's already been a lot of networking going on," Grossman says. "The idea is if we can get some circuses going in other cities. they'll fly some of our songwriters out.

His composing is as prolific as his gigging.

He's written more than 300 songs and released nine full-length recordings. His just- released Compilation '99 features 21 of his most-requested tunes. He's currently recording another disc of new material. but when it comes to gigging he sandwiches his own material between cover songs.

'A lot of people want to hear covers. and when l started losing gigs playing my ori~einal songs it hurt because my songs are pretty personal. I'm spilling my guts talking about my life," he says. "It's not something you throw out there while people are eating chicken wings and they don't listen and the guy comes up and says, 'Sorry, it's not working out. We've got to fire you.' That's my life you're hurting.

"But if I'm playing a James Taylor song and a Jim Croce song and I'm background music and the guy says it's not working out. I don't have an emotional commitment to that music. It doesn't hurt nearly as badly. I've been hired to be James Taylor and Neil Young even though I look like Lou Costello!"

So what's his secret to landing 30 gigs a month?

On the advice of a friend who does this. I went into places that didn't have music and said. 'Hey, I'll play tonight and if you like it, pay me at the end of the night. If you don't like it. we had a good time and just say you can't use me.''› Grossman says.

Nine out of 10 times they'd have me back."

GET TO KNOW

Who: David Shepherd Grossman

Where: Michael's 8700 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. Info: 515-2575.

When: 7 p.m. each Friday and Saturday night

Contact: 465-7991 or www. davidgrossman. com

IF YOU GO

David Shepherd Grossman performs at a benefit for Michelle Bennett, a kidnapping and shooting victim, at Coyote Springs Brewing Co., 122 E. Washington St.. Phoenix, at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. $5. Info: 256-6645. Grossman will perform at the Songwriter's Circus at Balboa Cafe, 404 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, at 7 p.m. Sunday. Free. Info: 966 1300.