There was a name on this years "Best of the Valley: Best Band Overall" category... a band that scored 3rd place not only this year, but last year, too. You might not have heard of them yet, but it's inevitable that you'll be exposed to their music because they're definitely destined for greatness. That band? The Reddletters. Their music has been described by some as alternative melodic rock. Their sound is anything but ordinary. Their shows are anything but boring.
Formed in late 2003 in Dublin, Ireland, The Reddletters consist of a brother/sister duo, Adam and Rachel Merriman. Rachel is the singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist; Adam owns the lead guitar. Graeme McKenna plays bass and does backing vocals while Nigel Reilly rounds out the group on drums. This close foursome live and work together, all of them making a full time career out of music. Their current home is in Cullman which is perfectly situated between Huntsville and Birmingham and has allowed them to establish themselves as local bands in both cities while gathering a loyal following in each. But who are The Reddletters, really? If you dig below the surface, past the names and the instruments they play, you'll find a tight knit group of diverse individuals who are all so equally talented you'd be hard pressed to name another band of the same depth and caliber on the local music scene today.
Rachel is the only sister in a family full of 4 boys, all of them destined to be musicians. Their father owned the largest private music school in Ireland so they grew up being constantly exposed to music. Brothers Judah and David play together in another popular local band, Stars Below, while brother Jonathan owns a music school and plays with a band in Ireland. Rachel was actually trained as a classical singer who swore in her youth that she wasn't going to be a musician when she grew up. (Luckily she couldn't escape her born calling and decided to stick with her passion.) She and Adam began playing together about 12 years ago and have always combined their efforts since then. One of their earlier bands, Sucker Punch, was a 3-piece group that actually toured a bit in the US in early 2001. After that stint they returned to Ireland with more of a feel for how they wanted their music to develop and the goal of moving here with a larger group and a more focused sound. Once back home they recruited Graeme from their father's music school to join them on bass. Drummer Nigel had actually tried out to play with the Judah and David in their band but Rachel and Adam snatched him up and The Reddletters were born. After extensive and impressive club performances in the Irish music scene, the band made their strategic move to the US.
The Reddletters performed over 200 shows throughout the Southeast last year. Of course they do some cover shows around town (Freddys on February 17th, for example) and they're unusual in that aspect because they travel with copies of their play list which they invite everyone to check it out and request songs they'd like to hear. (I don't know of another band around that is so actively involved with their audience.) But what really makes The Reddletters special is their original music, which is nothing short of outstanding. Obviously they would much prefer to be playing their originals all the time and if I had my choice it would be all I'd ever listen to them do. Their songs range from rock ballads like Sometimes Cats Die and Rain to Moviestar and Tonight which just flat out rock. (You can listen to Moviestar, Mirrors, The Defeated and the Dead and my favorite, The People You Know, on their website: www.myspace.com/reddletters. Their best shows are at Crossroads because they do nothing but the originals and you can just totally immerse yourself in their sound. Once you hear them you'll be hooked. I know... it happened to me last month! Your next chance to get acquainted with the Letters is at Crossroads on March 3rd. Make it a point to be there... you will not be disappointed!
