The Driftwood Singers

Genre: Americana
Secondary Genre: Folk Los Angeles, California USA Contact

"Listening to the Driftwood Singers makes you feel like you're ambling down a dusty country road toward something that might not exist anymore. This lo-fi folk duo of Pearl Charles and Kris Hutson writes foreboding, bluesy love ballads laden with longing nostalgia." - San Francisco Bay Guardian

Artist Information

Biography

The Driftwood Singers unassumingly take the stage and sing songs that could have been written ages ago but were more likely written in the last few weeks. Just barely in their 20's The Driftwood Singers are prolific writers immersed in the folk tradition building on songs and stories that at their heart are observations of the human condition in all it’s gruesome variations and beautiful splendor.

Constantly on the road since beginning the band nearly two years ago at the age of 19, playing all over the country and Canada, The Driftwood Singers are quite a surprising contrast to what one might expect from two kids born and raised in the heart of Los Angeles. They prove that one can love the Carter Family and traditional music and still be firmly in the present with songs as vibrant and alive as any we’ve heard and an attitude that embraces the anti-elitist and DIY ethos of the punks we love

Their debut, 5-song EP, Look! beautifully exemplifies their determination. After experimenting with some big studios and becoming frustrated with the intervals of multi-tracking and the stale output of Protools, they decided one night to pare everything down to its stark essence and begin recording it on a Sony Walkman which they did by laying it on their living room table and pressing record. What’s captured is the immediacy of their performances and what they call “the transparency of sound”.

How can you go wrong with songs of death and hope, murder and love, lechery and splendor, transcendence and cruelty and all points in between! We’re looking forward to being a part The Driftwood Singers story as it winds it’s way through the hills, hollers, canyons and caves out of the shadows of the blue ridge mountains of Pocahontas, West Virginia to wide open starlit skies of Joshua Tree, California.

Instrumentation

Kris and Pearl Driftwood-Vocals, Acoustic Guitar and Autoharp

Discography

Grammy-nominated musician, David Mayfield produces debut, full-length self titled album.
Release date: June 12th, 2012

LA based label, Trailer Fire, to release forthcoming 7" featuring "I Don't Live Here Anymore" and "If I Take That Notion" in May 2012

Look! - EP released November 9th, 2010

Featured on KCRW's "The Lab" for the song "Tennessee Honey"

Featured artist on Music City Roots, KDVX's Blue Plate Special, 11 O'Clock Rock

Weekly Editor's Show Pick in the SF Bay Guardian, SFist and Flavorpill

Featured on the NoDepression.com Homepage for the song "Coco Ellis"
Featured on the NoDepression.com Homepage for the song "Come Across the Tracks"
Featured on the NoDepression.com Homepage for the song "Lakes of Missouri"
Featured on the NoDepression.com Homepage for the song "Sweet & Softly"
Featured and interviewed on Pirate Cat Radio 87.9FM's Torrential Dissonance
Featured and interviewed on WNYU Radio 89.1FM's Talkin' Folk City
Featured and interviewed on CHUO Radio 89.1FM's Hop The Fence
Played on KXLU 88.9FM's Demolisten and KXLU 88.9FM's Mass Nerder
Played on KUCI 88.9FM's Howdylicious!
Played on M3 Radio, KTSW, WMTS, KXUA, WLFM,
WSUP, WMHD, WMCX, KMSU, WMFO,
KANM, KAOS, WVAU, KSCL, WLOY,
WBOR, The Growl, WUSC, WXDU, KBGA,
KTRU, WVUM, WRSU, WMPG, WIDB
Featured and interviewed on Dublab Future.Roots.Radio
Featured on Daytime Ottawa on Rogers TV

Opened for Scott Biram, Frank Fairfield, Eleni Mandell and Pete Molinari
Featured on a Carter Family Tribute compilation with Pete Stampfel, Calvin Johnson and Kimya Dawson
Sponsored by Oscar Schmidt Autoharps


Official Website

http://thedriftwoodsingers.bandcamp.com/

Links

Audio

  • I Don't Live Here Anymore
    Listen  
  • If I Take That Notion
    Listen  

Lyrics

Video

Photo Gallery

  • PressPhoto

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  • The Driftwood Singers go to Lake Piru

  • The Driftwood Singers go to Lake Piru

  • The Driftwood Singers go to Lake Piru

  • The Driftwood Singers go to Saugus

  • The Driftwood Singers go to Mentryville

  • The Driftwood Singers go to Lake Piru

  • The Driftwood Singers

Press

  • THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS: LOOK! EP [+ Show ]

    There’s something magical about the Driftwood Singers. On this fuzzy recording, they sound as if Ala...

  • THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS – LOOK! [+ Show ]

    I remember the Wave Pictures saying to me that one of the first things bands tend to do is go into a...

  • Our Weekly Picks: February 29-March 6: The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers Listening to the Driftwood Singers makes you feel like you're ambling down a ...

  • Communion feat. The Driftwood Singers, Birdhouse, Lauren Shera, and Infantree [+ Show ]

    The labor of love of Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett, Communion was formed in London in 2006 and quickly ...

  • East Bay Express Music Picks [+ Show ]

    "The LA duo known as The Driftwood Singers have a sound that harks back to the halcyon days of the ...

  • The To-Do List

    "A confluence of sublime talent”. – David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle

  • SFist Tonight, 3/5: The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    MUSIC: Tonight's edition of the monthly Communion club will feature The Driftwood Singers, who are i...

  • NXNE 2011: Driftwood Singers Diverge From L.A. to Toronto [+ Show ]

    Humbled to be in Toronto, the folk duo known as the Driftwood Singers enjoy a nice, cold beer at the...

  • Too Real to Be on Radio -- Roots Music Rescues Los Angeles [+ Show ]

    ...And LA's young The Driftwood Singers' folk tinged harmonies are channeling another time and place...

  • . Let It Out & Let It In . [+ Show ]

    ...Got the Sunday blues? Woes about the work week starting up again tomorrow? Driftwood Singers migh...

  • Listen Up! [+ Show ]

    Excerpt: Musical partners in crime, Pearl and Kris bring folk music to a whole 'nother level as the...

  • The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    "Pearl Charles and I met two years ago through a mutual friend who knew that we both loved country m...

  • Hot Night at The HoeDown Day 1 [+ Show ]

    This is my first ever experience attending the O-Town Hoedown. So I headed down to the Rainbow Bistr...

  • Driftwood Singers bring in folk sound [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers are perhaps the youngest old-time music band around. The two-person act, Kr...

  • Q&A with the Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    I am very thrilled to share another interview with you folks! Here is a Q&A with The driftwood Sin...

  • NXNE Artist Preview: The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    Every once in a while a band comes along that doesn’t sound of this era, and The Driftwood Singers a...

  • Thrift Store Cowboys/Driftwood Singers - show preview, 1/7/11 [+ Show ]

    As anyone who has seen this blog has no doubt heard me drag on about, the live music offerings in Mi...

  • Down Home Goodness: The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Pearl Charles of The Driftwood Singers, asking if I'd be w...

  • Shellshag, Street Eaters, The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    While most of their contemporaries are surfing the blogosphere daily to figure out what new hip dire...

  • Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 10-12-10 [+ Show ]

    Today’s recommendations for Pick Your Poison include tracks from The Black, Callers, Idlewild, and a...

  • the driftwood singers’ “coco ellis” [+ Show ]

    i usually dont do this, and hopefully it doesnt backfire. im judging this post by the person who sen...

  • Roots Roadhouse II to Showcase National Headliners and Local Favorites [+ Show ]

    There will be beer, BBQ and bingo at Roots Roadhouse II this Sunday, August 14th but for aficionados...

  • The Driftwood Singers at The Echoplex: LA Folk Fest Murder Ballad Night

    PHOTOS can be seen at link.

  • THE LOUVIN BROTHERS TRIBUTE SHOW @ HM157 [+ Show ]

    The New L.A. Folk Festival put together a cozy Louvin Brothers tribute show at HM157 featuring cover...

  • Check It. L.A. Records Christmas Party. [+ Show ]

    If you like live music and live beats (and who doesn't?) you can't beat L.A. Record's annual Christm...

  • ReviewShine Round-up [+ Show ]

    So we’ve spent the past couple of days making a concerted effort to spin some, if not all, of the su...

  • Daily Downloads (Nicole Atkins, Brent Amaker and the Rodeo, and more) [+ Show ]

    Every day, Daily Downloads offers 10 free and legal mp3 downloads, plus free and legal live sets fro...

  • Mp3-pack: Best Coast, the Bixby Knolls, the Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers, “Coco Ellis” — If you need something more chill than pop or indie rock, husba...

  • FFW – The Free Press Preview for July 28 – August 04 [+ Show ]

    Wednesday, August 3 Arctic Monkeys, Young Buffalo @ House of Blues - I remember when these guys wer...

  • PLAYDATE GOOD LUCK FUTURE (ft. Driftwood Singers) [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers were roped into their first Playdate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCNgncoZ...

  • NXNE Mixtape – Load Up the Honda and Press Play [+ Show ]

    I'll be leaving in approximately three hours from Cleveland, weaving my way through the northern sce...

  • 6 Alternative Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day in L.A. [+ Show ]

    ...The Echo is hosting its own Valentine's Day Song Massacre aka The Sad Hour with a stacked lineup ...

  • The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "Very Young Children Made Up Songs About The Different Ways Amanda Died, Killing Her Happily At The End Of Every Verse, Too Young To Understand The Horror...") [+ Show ]

    DECISION ... - Youth Lagoon, Young Magic, The Driftwood Singers @ The Echo - Lydia Loveless, Ol...

  • HUGE SXSW Roundup (Here’s What’s Happening in the Next Few Days) [+ Show ]

    Like the Driftwood Singers? Well here you go: Wednesday, March 17, 2011 Trailer Fire Records and...

  • Things 2 Do Thursdays [+ Show ]

    Sometimes you just need to get away from all your stress and buildup that the workweek lays on you. ...

  • Featured Song of the Week [+ Show ]

    "Sweet & Softly" is featured on the Americana and Roots Music - No Depression homepage (http://www.n...

  • Featured Song of the Week

    Featured Song of the Week on NoDepression.com

  • We All Go Twang: A When You Awake Collaborative Mixtape [+ Show ]

    We are very pleased to present When You Awake’s first collaborative covers mixtape, We All Go Twang....

  • SONG, BY TOAD FESTIVE FIFTY 2010: 31-50 [+ Show ]

    Welcome to the start of this year’s Song, by Toad Festive Fifty, where I list, in order, my favourit...

  • Music For The Morning After: An Exclusive Valentine’s Mixtape From Us To You [+ Show ]

    Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Every year, we release a special Valentine’s mixtape called Music Fo...

  • TOADCAST #144 – THE FISHCAST [+ Show ]

    Direct download: Toadcast #144 – The Fishcast 01. The Generationals – Trust (00.17) 02. The Divi...

  • V DAY L.A. RECORD MIXTAPE PART 2 [+ Show ]

    PART 2 TRACKLIST Dr Ruth Intro 2 Ying Yang Twins – Wait (The Whisper Song) Paul and Paula – Hey...

  • The Driftwood Singers live at the Ace [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers, Amanda Jo Williams and Tommy Santee Klaws live at the Ace February 25, 2011 ...

  • Featured Songs of the Week

    "Coco Ellis" and "Sweet & Softly" were just featured on Americana and roots music - No Depression.

  • The Driftwood Singers [+ Show ]

    We had originally hoped to shoot outside somewhere, but it had been raining for a few days, and woul...

  • What Record Are You Most Looking Forward To Next Week? [+ Show ]

    Alter Bridge "AB III" Årabrot "Revenge" Bad Books "Bad Books" Botany "Feeling Today" Julie ...

  • Out This Week 11/9 [+ Show ]

    You can feel the wheels grinding down each week as the number of new releases continues to dwindle. ...

  • New Music Tuesday: The Concretes, Bad Books, Nightlands, The Parting Gifts, Thunderball And More [+ Show ]

    Nov 9, 2010, 4:16am MAGNET To celebrate today's crop of releases, here are new mp3s from Bad Book...

  • Warm the Weekend: Do Si Do, 26 Hours of Ladies, and Hawaii 5-0 [+ Show ]

    Brace yourselves, Go Go’ers. Winter is here…the SoCal version anyway. It may not be blizzards and ...

  • The Driftwood Singers: I Don't Live Here Anymore

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBy3YeXAF60&feature=player_embedded

  • Big-City Pickin' [+ Show ]

    ...As Heinle notes, there was also a practical -- and social -- side to hosting a multi-day festival...

  • Week In Rock: Phoenix, Menomena, Local Natives, Mystery Jets [+ Show ]

    Tuesday The Tallest Man On Earth, S. Carey @ The Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater Omar Rodri...

  • Sept. 19: Walter Spencer + Freaky Mountain + Matt Van Winkle + Cave Country + The Driftwood Singers + RT N’ The 44$ [+ Show ]

    Sept. 19: Walter Spencer + Freaky Mountain + Matt Van Winkle + Cave Country + The Driftwood Singers ...

  • PULP WRITER book signing at OutWest this Thursday! [+ Show ]

    Not only will I be there to read a bit of PULP WRITER and talk about pulp Westerns, but there will b...

  • Echo Park’s Week in Music [+ Show ]

    Tuesday An Bell, Will Scott, The Driftwood Singers, Judson and Mary @ Echo Curio Smog Sessions wit...

  • Calendar

    The Driftwood Singers & Ben Schwab, 9pm, Cozmic Pizza. $5.

  • Pencil This In: Murder Ballads at the Echoplex, Panels on Race and Immigration and Ingrid Betancourt at Writer's Bloc [+ Show ]

    MURDEROUS MUSIC* The New Los Angeles Folk Festival celebrates Halloween early tonight with a Murder...

  • Halloween Comes Early With Murder Ballads At The Echoplex [+ Show ]

    The New Los Angeles Folk Festival celebrates Halloween tonight at 8 with a series of Murder Ballads ...

  • November Release Dates [+ Show ]

    November 9 Arabrot: Revenge (Fysisk Format) Bad Books: Bad Books (Favorite Gentlemen) David Banne...

  • NOV. 13: THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS RECORD RELEASE PARTY [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers Record Release Party! Featuring: The Driftwood Singers, RT N' The 44's, Tree ...

  • The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "Listen For Your Eyes, In Your Ears...") [+ Show ]

    Bedrock Studios presents the L.A. Record Christmas Party with a full line up on multiple stages on S...

  • Local Happenings [+ Show ]

    7 p.m. Country, Americana, Old Timey: Featuring The Driftwood Singers. Sliding scale cover. High Str...

  • L.A. RECORD XMAS PARTY GUESTS + SET TIMES ANNOUNCED! [+ Show ]

    PINK ROOM (LIVE BANDS + UPSTAIRS BAR) << DJ THE LONESOME COWBOY >> 12:30 HANNI EL KHATIB << DJ TH...

  • Hear Here [+ Show ]

    COWGIRL Old-time country with The Driftwood Singers, noon-3 pm; Gary Gorence, bluesy, country-rock, ...

  • Driftwood Singers at Well Red Coyote [+ Show ]

    California-based musicians, the Driftwood Singers, will perform at The Well Red Coyote on Friday, Ja...

  • Desert Nights: The Chances, The Driftwood Singers, and Jack Diamond [+ Show ]

    The Standard, Hollywood says… Tune in for another installment of Desert Nights, The Standard, Holly...

  • Sunset Strip Picks of the Week through January 30 [+ Show ]

    While the rest of the country de-ices, you can enjoy pool views and sunsets while taking in the soun...

  • The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "Now The Music Divides Us Into Tribes, You Choose Your Side, I'll Choose My Side...")

    Saturday, August 28 - Pete Molinari, Eleni Mandell, The Driftwood Singers @ Redwood Bar

  • Sunset Strip Picks: Jan. 24-30 [+ Show ]

    While the rest of the country de-ices, you can enjoy pool views and sunsets while taking in the soun...

  • Oscar Schmidt Artists Page [+ Show ]

    Pearl Charles - The Driftwood Singers While most of their contemporaries are surfing the blogosph...

  • Standard Hollywood Desert Nights: The Chances, The Driftwood Singers and Jack Diamond and its Free [+ Show ]

    Desert Nights is the Standard Hollywood's acoustic night where you can grab a drink, eat some food a...

  • FEB. 27: NEW LA FOLK FEST PRESENTS MIA DOI TODD + THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS + EMILY LACY

    FEB. 27: NEW LA FOLK FEST PRESENTS MIA DOI TODD + THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS + EMILY LACY

  • New folk music festival coming to the high desert [+ Show ]

    Add another music festival to the desert calendar. L.A. Folkfest.com, in partnership with The Del...

  • New folk music festival coming to the high desert [+ Show ]

    Add another music festival to the desert calendar. L.A. Folkfest.com, in partnership with The Del...

  • The New L.A. Folk Fest Desert Weekend [+ Show ]

    The high desert is the closest thing we've got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away f...

  • The New L.A. Folk Fest Desert Weekend [+ Show ]

    Sun., February 27, 11:00am-2:00pm Joshua Tree Saloon Day two of the weekend fest continues here, w...

  • The Driftwood Singers Come Across the Tracks

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_8K2fyqQZI&feature=player_embedded#at=144

  • The Driftwood Singers – “On My Merry Way” [+ Show ]

    The Driftwood Singers – “On My Merry Way” December 18, 2010 little-videos.com We had originally hope...

  • // NEW LA FOLK FEST DESERT WEEKEND [+ Show ]

    Doesn’t this look fun? I’m always down for a weekend in Joshua Tree, and treating yourself to this n...

  • Folk Fest Goes Desert [+ Show ]

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  • Turn On The Sunlight added to L.A. Folk Fest + FREE Download! [+ Show ]

    The hypnotizing, ambient duet Turn On The Sunlight has just been added to the bill for L.A. Folk Fes...

  • The New LA Folk Festival Desert Weekend [+ Show ]

    “Joshua Tree is a magical landscape where energy takes hold and inspiration flows, making it an idea...

  • For Folk's Sake- Get Out Of The City! (Or how to win tickets to the New LA Folk Fest without really trying...) [+ Show ]

    Anyone living in Los Angeles knows they’re pretty lucky. You’ve got several show options any night ...

  • WIN TICKETS TO THE NEW L.A. FOLK FEST DESERT WEEKEND [+ Show ]

    Give yourself a good reason to escape town this weekend by winning tickets to The New L.A. Folk Fest...

  • Go See Hear In L.A.: Feb. 22-27 - From Rupa To Ritter [+ Show ]

    If you want to escape L.A.'s Oscar fever, you might want to head to the desert this weekend as the N...

  • Top 5 Things to Do This Weekend in L.A. [+ Show ]

    SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27: NEW L.A. FOLK FEST PRESENTS MIA DOI TODD+THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS + EMILY LACY ...

  • The New LA Folk Festival Desert Weekend [+ Show ]

    “Joshua Tree is a magical landscape where energy takes hold and inspiration flows, making it an idea...

  • Get Out: New L.A. Folk Fest Desert Weekend, Eat Your Art Out, Scrapbook Expo [+ Show ]

    Where The Folks Are: Start with a Soundbath at Integratron at noon, hit the Institute of Mental Phys...

  • L.A. Folk Meets Joshua Tree [+ Show ]

    THE NEW L.A. FOLK FEST DESERT WEEKEND Multiple venues – Joshua Tree, CA and its vicinity 2/26 thru...

  • LA Folk Fest :: Desert Weekend [+ Show ]

    This weekend you have the opportunity to party with LA’s freakiest folks…. The New LA Folk Fest :: D...

  • Join the Hippies at the Desert for Another Edition of the New LA Folk Fest [+ Show ]

    (As one of the organizers of the New LA Folk Fest Desert Weekend, Daiana Feuer gives us a virtual ta...

  • The New Los Angeles Folk Festival [+ Show ]

    "The high desert is the closest thing we’ve got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away ...

Setlist

We have a flexible set that can vary depending on the needs of the gig. We cover classic country as well as do original songs in the same, classic style. We typically play a 35-45 minute set but can play for well over 2 hours.

Basic Requirements


Calendar

There are no upcoming dates at this time.