Donnie and The Dry Heavers Bring "Shoestring Tour" to Herzog and Crow's Nest
Cincinnati music fans have a lot to look forward to this fall at Herzog Music - our event calendar features frequent performances by many national, regional and local artists, free and open to the public.
One such artist is Kingsport, Tennessee’s own Donnie and The Dry Heavers, making a promotional stop at Herzog on October 18 before an evening gig at the Crow’s Nest.
Donnie and The Dry Heavers
Herzog Music’s own Jonathan Stout got the opportunity to chat with Dry Heavers drummer Cameron Hite, who told us about the band’s history and gave us a taste of what we can expect from their upcoming stops in Cincinnati.
Band History … and About the Name
Donnie and The Dry Heavers has been together for almost a year and a half. The band consists of members Chance Lawson (vocals/guitar), Niko Graham (bass), Andrew Kramer (vocals/guitar) and Cameron Hite (drums). Originally a two-man outfit, the band cut their teeth playing weekly gigs at popular Kingsport hangout, Model City Tap House. For each gig they would select a different name.
“There was one night we were about to start the show, and we realized we hadn't even picked out a name for that night,” Hite explained. “So on a whim, Chance just blurted out, ‘We're Donnie and The Dry Heavers.’ We thought it was going to be just another name to throw away, but it actually ended up sticking and the crowd loved it, so we've embraced it from that night onward!”
Kingsport’s Music Community
Though many think of Nashville and Memphis when associating music to Tennessee, Hite insists that Kingsport has a lot to offer as well. As part of what is called the “Tri-Cities” region, along with Johnson City and Bristol, this area of Tennessee boasts an incredible music community.
“We've been extremely privileged to play some great venues with great groups,” Hite said thankfully. Such groups include other regional acts like the Jake Quillen Band, Magus and the Movers, Loose Leaves, The Kindest People, and Tom's Handgun.
What Cincinnati Can Expect
Music fans can expect an eclectic mix of the jam, blues and rock genres.
“We're currently recording an EP to share with the world. This stop at Herzog Music will actually be part of our first tour - The Shoestring Tour - and we're excited for the destinations and venues we have planned along the way.”
Dry Heavers’ Dream Gig
As a fun way to close out the interview, I asked the band where and with whom their “dream gig” would be.
“The unanimous decision for the location of our dream gig is hands down Red Rocks Amphitheatre,” Hite responded.
For the other acts they would choose, I asked that they select bands that they think would buffer their sound well.
“That's a great question, and we would have to go with The Marcus King Band and Dr. Dog.”
Moving Forward
We asked what the band’s main mission was and what they hope to accomplish with their music. Admittedly a somewhat heady question, but their response maintained the overall humble nature shown throughout the interview.
“We love playing shows with each other, sharing our music with fans, meeting new people, recording, touring - the whole spectrum. As long as we can continue doing that, we will be accomplishing our mission!”
Donnie and the Dry Heavers play at Herzog Music on Friday October 18 at 2pm, followed by an evening performance at The Crow's Nest at 10pm.