Drew Lawrence of The Dales on Broken Piano Keys and Committing to the Long Haul

Photo credit: Stacy Hunter

Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?

We actually fly to most of our tours (on the east coast or northwest) and rent vans…. so no fun vehicle stories! When we have local CA shows, we generally drive our own vehicles. Also, not very rock n roll! Jackie has a Toyota truck, Preston has a Toyota Venza and I have an old Lincoln Navigator that can haul quite a bit of gear.

How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?

Well, Jackie detests fast food! She’s never had McDonalds! So Preston and I have followed suit and we will usually grab something at Whole Foods and Starbucks.

How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?

I’ve broken a few piano keys! Preston generally restrings his guitar before each tour – I think the strings are like $12

Where do you rehearse?

We rehearse in my garage. (it’s actually been rebuilt into a studio space). It’s pretty cozy. Jackie has purchased a bunch of cool lights and my neighbor gave us a really nice leather couch. We have an acoustic piano in there plus a bunch of other old instruments like my Fender Rhodes 73 suitcase. We hosted a number of live streaming shows there during the pandemic.

What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?

“Still The Love”

Goodbye to the sunset days
and the misty morning haze
If you ever feel the pain
I’m not far away
Still the Love remains

Describe your first gig.

Indianapolis, May 2016 It was a dumpy dive bar! We were paid with buckets of Budweiser, if I remember correctly. We all went to the Indianapolis 500 the next day.

What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?

I write and produce for other artists. I feel very lucky to do what I love for a living. Preston writes code for apps (his brain is off the charts). Jackie is a voice-over actor.

How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?

The band is able to tour in the black now. We often times bring our drummer and bassist which cut into profits but infuse great energy into the show. I would like to see the band filling 500-person theatres in multiple markets in 5 years.

What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?

I didn’t follow through on a lot of my earlier artist projects. It took me until I was in my 30s before I committed to the long haul of being in a band. So much of it is perseverance and follow-through. You got to give it time!

Preston Pope and Drew Lawrence, who have played in bands together on and off for over 15 years, first formed The Dales in 2015. In 2017, an early incarnation of The Dales released their debut, Marie. The band’s folky Americana sound led Parade Magazine to praise the “incredible multi- part vocal harmony reminiscent of CSN (and) the fabulous musicianship of this group.” They toured across the country, headlining shows, and sharing the stages with such acts as Marc Broussard, Cris Jacobs, and The White Buffalo.

Lawrence, a multi-platinum songwriter/producer, began working with Jacqueline Tozzi in the spring of 2019, with the goal to develop songs for her as a solo artist. The Dales, meanwhile, were working on an EP, Easy Times. That fall, however, the group’s then-singer Carrie Turner decided to move on. Lawrence asked Tozzi if she would like to join The Dales, and she enthusiastically agreed.

2020 got off to an excellent start for The Dales with the release of Easy Times. On this five-song EP, the Dales began expanding the folksy sound of Marie, with a ‘70s rock vibe, which American Songwriter described as “uplifting and classic.” Tozzi contributed vocals on a few tracks, including “Homesick Summertime Anthem” that raised the band’s profile when it was used in a radio ad campaign. While on tour in support of the new EP, The Dales performed at Los Angeles’ fabled Troubadour and recorded the show, releasing it later as a live album. As momentum was building for the trio, the tour shut down – as did the rest of the world – due to Covid.

In November 2021, they headed to Bear Creek Studios in Washington, reuniting with producer Jerry Streeter (Brandi Carlile, The Lumineers) – who helmed their debut album Marie. Multi Trick Pony, their latest album, was recorded live over the course of two weeks. Lawrence played the organ, piano, and keyboards, while Pope performed all the guitar parts. For the rhythm section. Streeter brought in two Seattle musicians: bassist Jeremy Lightfoot (Vance Joy, Satchel), who had played on The Dales’ debut, and drummer Mark Pickerel (Screaming Trees, the Secret Sisters).

Connect with The Dales online and on the road.