Tenderfoot: Conceived on a tour van and born in a diner; the offspring
of lead singer guitarist Brett Levson. Brett began writing songs in
1998 while on tour with Dear Ephesus. Spurred by the desire to play
the music he loved, Brett soon recruited bassist Louis DeFabrizio and
drummer Jeff Irizarry (also then members of Dear Ephesus). They named
the newborn Rock n' Roll undertaking Tenderfoot. The boys continued
to play with their other band, only playing local shows with Tenderfoot
on the side.
Tenderfoot begins to walk. In 1999, the boys get a little more serious
when DE breaks up allowing them to concentrate fully on rearing the
new band. They start playing shows with real PA systems and decide to
recruit an old friend (Adam Vandegriff) to play rhythm guitar. Near
the end of the year the band records an album for Bulletproof Music
out of Atlanta Georgia.
In 2000 Tenderfoot leaves behind the mischievousness of childhood and
heads for the all out rebellion of adolescence. They start the year
out playing 17 shows on a 19 day tour with Denison Marrs. Their record
"The Devil and Rock n' Roll" is released in March. This summer
had them playing over 50 shows in two months with Tooth and Nail recording
artists Squad 5-0. Next up is a two week tour with Solid State's Blindside.
Tenderfoot does not plan on slowing down anytime soon.
Tenderfoot has played with such bands as The Gloria Record, Squad 5-0,
Link80, Peterbuilt, Dogwood, MU330, Value Pac, Spit Valves, Skiff Dank,
Carlisle, Denison Marrs, The Miracle Youth, Legends of Rodeo, Recess
Theory, Further Seems Forever, Keith Welsh, Pistis, Tomorrow, Chase
Theory, Bible of the Self, Fan Mail, and Ghoti Hook, among others. Local
venues the boys have played include Firestone, Sapphire Supper Club,
D.I.Y. records, The porch, Counter Vulture, and Heckles and Jeckles.
History
Tenderfoot started in 1998 when Dear Ephesus got off tour and decided
to take some time off. Brett had some songs that he had written about
the difficulties of tour and things of that nature.
So Jeff and Louis helped Brett out a bit and they played some shows
around Orlando as a three piece mostly for fun. They were playing birthday
parties and house shows, anything that basically Dear Ephesus didn't
play.
They played just for the love of rock and roll for nothing else. Squad
Five-O and World Against World decided to let them come out with them
for all of their Florida shows in November of 1998.
When they got home from that little rock and roll jaunt, they came
home to play what would eventually be the last Dear Ephesus show. Brett
and Louis were really falling in love with Tenderfoot and the other
guys could tell, so it was time for them to part ways.
In the following months they found Adam Vandergriff. He was in a band
that Dear Ephesus used to always play with called S.O.C.K.S. The first
time he came over, he knew all the songs and he seemed like a perfect
fit. That is how they began and they are looking forward to what is
gonna come next.
They just want to write songs that rock and make you sing along