Bios
Long Tall Deb and the Drifter Kings blend a unique and tasty mix of Delta, Piedmont, Texas and Chicago blues, boogie-woogie, New Orleans style, and classic R&B and soul with generous helpings of original music.
Seamlessly blending the wisdom gained from their collective experience with fresh and youthful energy, the band is quickly gaining a loyal fan-base and acclaim for their dynamic and soulful live shows that range from intimate club settings to large outdoor festivals.
Band members: (from left to right) Doug “New York” Oscard on drums, Melvin Powe on bass, vocalist Deb Landolt and guitarist Richie B.
The band members have individually performed or guested with artists including Kenny Neal, The Skatalites, Luther Allison, Bo Diddley, The Shirrelles, The Four Tops, The Marvelettes, and Johnny Winter. Long Tall Deb and the Drifter Kings are set to release their debut recording “Diamonds on the Desert Floor” on January 9, 2010.
Group Photograph by Eric Popp
Long Tall Deb Landolt
”Deb Landolt has a set of pipes that will send the skin on your arms towards the good way and a vibe that would make a married man change his mind.” ~ Colin John
Fast gaining a reputation as one powerhouse blues/ soul vocalist and songwriter to watch for, Deb Landolt continues to bring audiences to their knees wherever she goes. Praised by other artists, critics, and fans alike for her dynamics and technical skill, she brings a wide range of emotion and passion to her music. Raised on the border in El Paso, Texas, she gained an early appreciation for blues and soul and the regional folk music that would ultimately define her as an artist and performer. Deb’s love for music is not so narrowly defined by one genre but rather dipped in the blues and free to roam- just like her soul. She has shared the stage with such diverse artists as Austin-based zydeco king RC Banks and the Well-Kept Secrets, Jamaican ska legends The Skatalites, Baton Rouge Bluesman Kenny Neal, and St Lucian Reggae master Deighton Charlemagne, among others. She also gives credit to the wealth of international and regional talent from Central Ohio with whom she has had the privilege of sharing the stage. These artists include Willie Pooch, Colin John, Ray Fuller, Linda Dachtyl, Shaun Booker, Rick Collura, Patrick McLaughlin and Sean Carney, all of whom have helped shape her style in some way.
Richey B (aka Dickie Johnson)
A permanent fixture on the Central Ohio music scene, Richey B has been seasoning his eclectic chops for years. He is well known in the area for his varied guitar work with bands such as Richey B and the Redliners, The Shrunken Heads, Wolfhound, and, of course Hootie McBoob.
Based firmly in the blues, Richey travels easily through different styles but never forgets where he came from. Armed with an explosive guitar sound with the voice to match, Richey commands attention and respect from the moment he moves the switch to “on”.
You can also see Richey in action as the host for the Columbus Blues Alliance open jam at the Thirsty Ear Tavern every other Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.
Melvin Powe
Melvin grew up in Akron, Ohio, surrounded by talented young musicians. His first significant band experience was a talent show in junior high school. Decked out in a cape made by his mother, he sang “I Feel Good”, by James Brown. Melvin brought the house down that day, and after realizing the girls were screaming for him, he hasn’t looked back since. “My first instrument was slide trombone but I got turned out on bass by going to a live concert in Canton, Ohio to see Grand Funk Railroad.” Melvin later spent some time in the San Francisco Bay Area, soaking up the sounds of Latin and jazz music, as well as getting influenced by top touring acts such as Santana, Tower of Power, War, Steely Dan, Roy Ayers, and The Ohio Players to name a few.
Says Melvin: “After coming back to Ohio, I got hit in the head and knocked out with the Blues…Delta, Piedmont and Chicago Blues is were I am, and there it is …and here I am!”
Doug Oscard
Doug Oscard comes to the project with quite the pedigree. As a full-time working musician in New York City, he has played Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway shows. He was signed for three years to Carrere Records with a NYC band called The Method which toured Europe for six months. He has toured most of the USA with acts such as Luther Allison, Johnny Winter, Bo Diddley, Joey Dee, Gary US Bonds, Zoot Sims, Jeremy Steig, Bobby Lewis, Alex Chilton (From The Box Tops), Eddie Brigati (From The Young Rascals), Johnny Rivers, Little Anthony (From The Imperials) and many more.
Onstage, Doug provides the backbone of the tune, never straying from the arrangement to be flashy (“sloppy” in his words). He does everything he can to do what is necessary to let the song breathe.
Thanks, Deb.
I always enjoy sharing the stage with you!