BIO

PERSONNEL

Left to Right

JON.ERICSON . vox . guitar . keys
RICH.DEVITO . guitars
RYAN.HOLMES . bass
BRYAN.KELLY . drums

HEARSAY

Echo & Drake is an acclaimed indie/alternative rock band from Hartford, Connecticut.  At the end of 2011, their highly-anticipated debut album, “Sundrenched Elsewhere,” was dubbed the #1 Connecticut Album of 2011 by America’s oldest continuously running newspaper, The Hartford Courant (Eric Danton).  On September 12th, 2012, Echo & Drake was named “Best Overall Band” at the state-wide 1st Annual Connecticut Music Awards.

#1 Connecticut Album of 2011 ~Eric Danton, The Hartford Courant

The band began work on “Sundrenched Elsewhere” in June, 2010, at Telefunken Studios (with recording engineers Joe Masters and Pat Cull), working with Juno Award (Canadian equivalent of the Grammys) winning producer Joseph Donovan (The High Dials, Stars, The Dears, Receivers, Sam Roberts Band) and Grammy nominated mastering engineer Jeff Lipton (Wilco / Jeff Tweedy, Spoon, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire).  ”It paid off in spades” (Dan Barry, The Hartford Advocate).  On Feb 18th, 2012, “Sundrenched Elsewhere” was officially released to a packed house at Willimantic’s Capitol Theater.  The album continues to receive overwhelmingly positive reviews from major publications, radio stations, blogs, and magazines including The Hartford Courant, The Hartford Advocate, 88.1 WESU, 91.7 WHUS, The New Haven Register, Hamden Daily News, TAXI, Play New Haven Magazine, and many others.

I’m calling it, friends — it’s going to be big… Echo & Drake is one of those rare bands… a speck of gold in a sea of brass… ~Gabrielle Bruney, The Wesleyan Argus

Echo & Drake formed following a chance meeting between Rich DeVito (Guitars) and Jon Ericson (Vocals, Guitars, Keys/Synths) during the summer of 2005.  Several other talented musicians rotated in and out over the next five years until the current lineup eventually solidified to include Bryan Kelly (Drums, Percussion) and Ryan Holmes (Bass). The band’s evocative moniker refers to the imitative and exploratory nature of songwriting as represented by Echo of Greek myth, and English explorer, Sir Francis Drake.

Echo & Drake is the right band at the right time. ~Dan Barry, The Hartford Advocate

In 2010, Echo & Drake swept The Hartford Advocate’s Grand Band Slam, taking “Best Band,” “Best New Band,” Best Rock Band, “Best Singer/Songwriter” (Jon Ericson), “Best Instrumentalist” (Rich DeVito).  During the summer of 2011, the group was invited to play prominent slots at several festivals, including Hartford’s Riverfest, Meriden’s Daffodil Festival, Music Feeding Music’s annual charity concert in Niantic, and The Enfield 4th of July festival.  They were also featured prominently on the soundtracks for two independent films produced by Brown University Student Television, “Whole Grain,” and “Two Hearts.”

At the end of 2012, the band was named “Best Overall Band” at the state-wide, 1st Annual Connecticut Music Awards.  In January, 2013,  Echo & Drake was nominated as one of 7 finalists in the nation-wide CBS Grammy Live Performance competition.

Clearly a band to look out for… ~Rob Farrish, WESU 88.1 FM, Wesleyan University Radio

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Named “Best Overall Band” at the state-wide, 1st Annual Connecticut Music Awards, 2012.
  • Debut album, Sundrenched Elsewhere (2011) voted #1 Connecticut Album of 2011 by The Hartford Courant (Eric Danton)
  • Sundrenched Elsewhere (2011) mixed by Juno Award winning producer Joseph Donovan (The High Dials, Stars, The Dears, Receivers, Sam Roberts Band) and mastered by Grammy nominated engineer Jeff Lipton (Bon Iver, Wilco / Jeff Tweedy, Spoon, Andrew Bird,  Arcade Fire)
  • Sundrenched Elsewhere (2011) available via Newbury Comics Stores, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and many others
  • Swept the Hartford Advocate’s Grand Band Slam 2010, winning Best Band, Best New Band, Best Rock Band, Best Singer/Songwriter (Jon Ericson), and Best Instrumentalist (Rich DeVito)
  • Winners of Invenio Music’s Original Song Competition, 2012.
  • Supported critically acclaimed psych rock band The High Dials in October, 2009, 2010
  • Supported … And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead in July, 2009
  • Selected for Moozikoo’s “Best of Indie” compilation album
  • Opening and closing tracks on The University of Connecticut, Insense Music compilation album, 2007