Drew De Four is a modern day Troubadour
Also: a singer/songwriter, producer, actor, and Dueling Pianist
Piano and Vocals his forte
Also employs: guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bass, and drums
Over 1,000 live performances – mostly music, but include stage and oration
Over 1,000 songs in his cover repertoire
Has written and produced 2 full length studio albums:
-Earlier Work
-Love and Politics on a Piano
Has written and recorded 1 album to be released late in 2008
-10 Piano Solos
Is currently writing his most ambitious project to date: an album which will double as the score for a musical both titled:
-The Troubadour
Is currently touring the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom in support of his latest album: “Love and Politics on a Piano” which features only Drew singing, beat-boxing, and playing several pianos.
2005
After having the privilege of fronting some very ambitious and talented bands for over 10 years, including:
Epoch (1995-97) Drew De Four, Mark De Four, Ryan Kramer, Mike O’Neal, Ray Testori
Leeway (1998) Drew De Four, Mark De Four, Nic Bommarito
Amadeus (1999-2003) Drew De Four, Mark De Four, Phil Bossenberger, Jay Golden
Darktown Saints (2003-05) Drew De Four, Phil Bossenberger, Jay Golden, Aaron Wolf
Drew goes it alone.
2006
Graduating from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in April, Drew immediately set out on a 75 show summer tour of the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom with the help of trusted friend and then manager – Justin McNicholl.
The tour covered mostly small venues, piano bars, and holes in the wall. However, Drew recorded a selection of these shows and – along with some recordings he made before the tour started – released his first CD at the end of the summer just in time for his shows in Ireland. Entitled “Music for Food,” it truly was just that, also earning Drew places to stay, clothes to wear, a car to tour with in Ireland, friends, alcohol, legal advice, and obviously some money as well. “The Importance of Bartering” would have also been an appropriate title for this rare album which only had 500 copies printed (all are long gone now and there was no reprint… so anyone who has one – good on you).
Traveling was not without setbacks, particularly in the financial department as Drew and Justin found out how hard the road can be when soaring gas prices, vehicle repairs, instrument repairs/replacement, plane tickets, and the Mexican police interfere with the budget. By October, Drew was flying back from the UK to Michigan with empty pockets, but a journal full of new songs.
Earlier Work
Through his girlfriend (photographer and filmmaker Isabelle Carbonell) Drew hooked up with Gary Prince – a guitarist and student of music at The University of Michigan School of Music. Drew talked to Gary about assembling a band to do an album of mostly blues/rock tunes Drew had written during his first international tour. Gary recommended Theo Katzman and Christian Carpenter (also from the music school) to play drums and bass respectively. Drew called up his good friend and vocalist Sara Curtin (who he had met in the Fall of 2004 in the same music improv class that he’d met Isabelle). Calling this exceptional group of backing musicians “The Royal Family” (inspired by Gary’s last name: “Prince” and Drew’s song about royalty called: “In the Blood”), the 5 of them would record Drew’s debut studio album called “Earlier Work” at Big Sky Recording in Ann Arbor, MI with engineers Geoff Michael and Chris DuRoss. This process went from November of 2006 until March of 2007 and between sessions, Drew played many dates at different Dueling Piano clubs around the Midwest and Colorado to pay for the album. The artwork was done by Michelle Bien, a gifted cartoonist and visual artist. The songs on the album are admittedly meant to sound similar to other popular songs so that Drew could interlace them easily with his piano bar tunes. It was for this reason (and because producer Geoff Michael told Drew during the mixing process: “you know, these songs sound a lot like Billy Joe’s Earlier Work) that the album was named as such.
2007
The Royal Family backed Drew on many shows in Michigan for the first few months of the year up until Drew’s second international solo tour which started in April. The songs from “Earlier Work” were received with great enthusiasm at his original shows, but were also written to fit perfectly into Drew’s piano bar sets (which are more cover/request oriented to earn tip money and also because most well-paying goods for piano players are cover gigs).
Drew was without Justin for the US part of 2007 (he took a full time job in Scotland, though is still Drew’s most trusted advisor, particularly in the UK/Ireland), but thanks to Justin’s hard work and topnotch management the year before, Drew found that traveling down trodden roads was much easier than forging through thick, unknown foliage.
The highlights of the 2007 US tour were playing in upstate New York (where Drew plays more than anywhere else in the world because of booking agent and promoter Todd Russell, a very important part of Drew’s life and career) and playing in Telluride, Colorado where Drew’s cousin Mike Pale (a brilliant jazz guitarist) has gotten Drew some great gigs consistently for years.
In the UK, Drew played “The Living Room” circuit. These are a series of piano bars up and down the island which allowed Drew to play his own music and still financially support himself (they all had pianos at their venue which is ideal for someone who can’t carry his instrument on his back).
In Ireland, Drew was fortunate enough to meet the formidable Kevin Brennan who is now Drew’s tour manager and support act in 2008. The two of them took Kevin’s car and electric piano throughout Ireland to play all the great venues that Ireland has to offer for up and coming acts.
After the tour, Drew returned home, was able to pay off most of his debts, and then went straight to the Dueling Piano Bars to save up money for his next studio album that he’d written over this previous year.
Love and Politics on a Piano
Spending so many nights alone at the piano (either in public or in private), Drew felt compelled to do an album with only himself and his favorite highly percussive medium.
“Love and Politics on a Piano” was recorded by Chris DuRoss at many different locations in Michigan during the winter of 2007-2008. The songs were inspired by Drew’s 2nd international tour. He wrote a handful of songs out of love for his friends and family – and a handful of songs inspired by the disappointment and anxiety he heard expressed by people all over the world (mostly their frustration with government and religion). The music on the album is “very big piano playing.” Drew employs Stride, Ragtime, Boogie-Woogie, Classical, and Jazz techniques to really “fill out the sound.” Also – beat-boxing, spoons, cell phone conversations, tap dancing, multiple layering of piano/vocals, and a monologue by Drew’s brother JD are included on this album. The artwork is stunning, thanks to the talent of Danielle Davis.
2008
Although similar to 2007 (record an album, tour an album, write a new album), Drew started off the year with the signing of his first record contract. Drew signed “Earlier Work” to an indie label in Japan called “Grey Dog’s Records.” Also, Drew’s summer touring has expanded to new cities in America and abroad. Besides releasing “Love and Politics,” Drew is also going to release “10 Piano Solos” which are a series of 4-7 minute piano pieces Drew composed in his teenage years. November is the projected date of release on this project.
Most importantly, Drew is hoping to finish writing his album/musical “The Troubadour” by the end of this year so he can record it – and produce it on stage – some time in 2009.
Finally, Drew has finally found the time and talented Ariela Steif to help complete his new website which will have all sorts of new features and ways to enjoy Drew’s art and vision (and also a few ways for Drew to enjoy his fans’ art and vision).
Thanks to everyone for their continued support and encouragement.