String players and vocalists Drew Carman and Dylan Solise always shared a fascination with traditional roots music, but they’re hip to the indie pop/rock scene, too. The pair first started collaborating in Kentucky, before relocating to Athens, Ga. in early 2007. Forming The Corduroy Road as a full band, Carman and Solise welcomed elements of bluegrass, Americana-rock, and country to their original songs.

In support of a brand-new five-song mini album titled Just One Drop (Mule Train), The Corduroy Road performs at Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s Island on Friday, and at Awendaw Green’s “Grass on the Green” concert on Saturday (see City Pick).

“I got to Athens in Jan. 2007 from Lexington, Ken., where I lived most of my life,” remembers Solise. “I’d always had this fascination with Athens. Late in my college years, I got into a lot of the music that was coming out of Athens — in particular, the Elephant 6 stuff.”

Solise and Carman played their first Athens gig at a small venue called Little Kings during a “hoot” presented by Athens Folk & Dance Society. “It was just Drew and myself at the time, and we got a good response,” Solise remembers. “We were still just getting our feet under us, as far as learning how to perform live, work the mic, and develop a stage presence. Neither one of us is a technical wizard on our instruments.”

Drummer John Cable played previously in The Cubs, an Athens act with whom Solise and Carman had gigged plenty. Cable kept time on The Corduroy Road’s self-titled EP before officially joining the band. After working on stages and in studios with a few local bassists — including Tim Helms, who played on last year’s EP and the brand-new one as well — they recently added Elijah NeeSmith to the team.

“Early on, we got slapped with the ‘bluegrass’ label quite a bit,” says Solise. “When we added bass and drums, we started getting e-mails from people exclaiming, ‘You are not bluegrass!’ [laughs]. We never really claimed to be that ourselves, but thank you for writing.”

Help keep the City Paper free.

No paywalls.
No newspaper subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations from downtown to North Charleston to Johns Island to Summerville to Mount Pleasant.

Help support independent journalism by donating today.