ELMWOOD: TO WRAP YEAR WITH TWO-MONTH TOUR

TO WRAP YEAR WITH TWO-MONTH TOUR;

INDEPENDENT ROCK GROUP TOURED WITH O.A.R., G. LOVE,
TEA LEAF GREEN AND PERFORMED AT BONNAROO

BAND MET ON CRAIGSLIST.COM IN 2008

Last year, ELMWOOD opened for O.A.R. in October and November and G. Love & Special Sauce in April.  This year, the band has toured extensively with Tea Leaf Green and performed at such festivals as Bonnaroo, Beale Street, Warren Haynes’ Mt. Jam and Cadott Rock Fest.  They were also on bills with such acts as Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, The Wailers, Umphrey’s McGee and Grace Potter.

ELMWOOD–RUSTY KELLY (guitar/vocals), JUSTIN SMITH (bass), DEREK HAIGHT (sax) and DONNIE MARPLE (drums)–formed in 2008 after finding each other’s postings on Craigslist.com, each seeking musical compatriots.  Although they had never played together as a group before, ELMWOOD made their live debut at The Boro in Murfreesboro, TN and were summarily paid for their performance with one cold pitcher of beer.  “That didn’t last, so we ordered two more,” says MARPLE, who won Guitar Center’s drum competition in ‘07.  

 “…[The band] was infectious from the very first note and played with a conviction and energy rarely seen in the jam scene,” said Chris Adams in a Jambands.com review of a 2009 show opening for Tea Leaf Green. The website continued: “The thunder of a double bass drum rumbled throughout the theatre and onto the streets of Charlotte. Bass riffs flowed effortlessly while the sound of saxophone added color and melody. Unusual for jambands, Elmwood brings a front man who is not only comfortable in his role but also confident without being arrogant. He beckons the attention by his very presence. They are not a metal band. They are not a jam band. They are Elmwood Band and they filled our heads with catchy lyrics, complex songwriting, monstrous and complex drum parts.”

ELMWOOD tour dates are below.  For more information, visit their websites: