Modern Day Drifters
Music that stems from the roots of soul and southern rock, to the front porch of the country. The Modern Day Drifters are paving their way down that long stretch of blacktop that connects the heart of each and everyone of us.
The Modern Day Drifters:
Joe Churchill and Kristen Kelly met while involved in separate projects in the central Texas music scene. Their paths had crossed as they were both graduates of Dick Gimble's prestigious commercial music program at McLennan Community College. While Kelly had been writing songs for years, including "Down in Flames" with Brandon Jenkins and Stoney LaRue, Churchill was busy being the consummate sideman for several bands playing guitar, bass and delivering vocals in his trademark laidback style. In a twist of fate, the musical adventures they were involved with ended around the same time in the summer of 2006. The two ran into each other at a show and decided they should start writing some songs together. After their first time writing and playing together, they knew what they had was special. There seemed to be a timeless bond that bound the bluesy edge of Kelly to the south Texas country charm of Churchill. She would bring the Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi influence while he would provide a dose of smooth honky-tonk reminiscent of Keith Whitley and George Strait. The two styles met somewhere in the middle to create something fresh and original for the Texas scene. Soon after, the two began performing as an acoustic duo. The music they were creating was magical and they began performing and playing together constantly. Their shared passion for music led them to any stage that would have them, be it a garage rehearsal space or a big support gig opening up for a top act in the Texas scene. They didn't care as long as they could make music. Through the ashes of musical disappointments, they had finally found the real deal. As things progressed, they felt the need to expand their sound from an acoustic duo to a full band. The search began for musicians who shared their creative vision and desire to make a special brand of music. Kelly and Churchill weren't just looking for players who could play, they wanted people who truly understood their sound and believed in where they were heading. The Drifters rhythm section is filled out with Marty Mack on drums and Vincent Bryce on bass. Adding some flair on lead guitar is Derrick Dutton, a guitar guru known across Texas and beyond for his blues inspired myriad of tones and sounds. These key additions led to the formation of a powerful and unique sound. With everyone now on board, their energetic live shows began to garner them notice and praise across Texas and beyond. The dynamic, bluesy vocals Kelly brings to the microphone are complemented by the gritty, straightforward approach provided by Churchill. Together with Mack, Dutton and Bryce they deliver a musical sermon at each gig.
Their debut album, The Highway Is My Home, was released in late spring 2008. It featured production work from Churchill and Kelly, with Churchill providing the bulk of the instrumentation and arrangement of the songs. And, much like the Merle Haggard lyric that the album title references, the stories the Drifters have to tell are influenced by the hard miles traveled down highways both literal and figurative.