Orphan Music League

Singer-songwriters Kelli Rae Powell and Matthew Brookshire joined forces and voices to form the Orphan Music League--a girl/boy supergroup in the vein of The Weepies, She & Him, The Moldy Peaches and June Carter & Johnny Cash.

Separately they have performed across the United States, in France and Germany; they've had music in movies and on the radio; they've performed with modern dancers and in off-Broadway theaters; they've played for blushing brides and howling newborns; they've sung songs to stop wars and to elect presidents.

Kelli Rae Powell is an old-timey albeit timely cabaret-style bad girl. Regarding her wry and original tunes, she is a tiny uke-wielding red-headed would-be step-child of Billie Holiday and Johnny Cash. Tommy Ramone once called her a "poet" to her face. She invented the Drinkaby: a song that is part lullaby and part drinking song. Born in Nebraska and raised in Iowa, she moved to New York City after she graduated from college. Kelli Rae will play the ukulele until the end.

Matthew Brookshire grew up in North Carolina and is now based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2007, Matthew’s song “Best Friend” was chosen as a finalist in the New York Songwriters Circle’s annual songwriting contest, which culminated in a live performance at the legendary Bitter End. Matthew has performed at college campuses up and down the East Coast, including the University of Connecticut, Rider University, SUNY Upstate, FIT, Southern Vermont College and George Washington University. Matthew’s music can be heard in the Todd Solondz film "Palindromes", starring Ellen Barkin and Jennifer Jason Leigh, which played in the New York, Telluride, Venice and Toronto film festivals.