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Kiti Gartner & the Drifting Valentines

Music / Sound, Performance

About the Artist

Kiti Gartner & the Drifting Valentines is a band out of Washington DC who play western swing, rockabilly, old country and some jump blues. Their influences include music from the 1940s and on, including almost everything that came out of The Quonset Hut and RCA Studio B in Nashville, Sun Records and Bakersfield. Kiti Gartner (vocals and rhythm guitar), Zachary Sweeney (lead guitar), Steve Wolf (upright bass), Brian Alpert (drums).

Kiti Gartner & the Drifting Valentines website Kiti Gartner & the Drifting Valentines

Artist's Statement

Kiti was raised in Germany, where her father was stationed as a US DoDDS educator. She played her first show at the Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring in 2013 and has been leading the band ever since. The group officially became the Drifting Valentines when lead guitarist Zachary joined in 2016 after settling down from world tours/superstardom with Wayne "The Train" Hancock, the "King of Juke Joint Swing." In addition to being one of the best bass players around, Steve Wolf is a yogi master, fifth-degree black belt in Aikido, and a founding member of Danny Gatton’s Redneck Jazz Explosion. Drummer Brian played with Steve in the Tom Principato Band, toured extensively with Cowboy Jazz and also toured with Danny Gatton. He authored the must-read website "rhumba.com" which captures his experience touring with Gatton and presents other stories which describe the unpredictable existence of a musician’s life on the road. Brian once played a special Valentine’s Day show with Tiny Tim, who introduced him to the crowd as “a fabulous drummer”!

Featured Work

Videos

Music/Audio

Booking

Booking Price: $1,001-$2,000

Booking contact: thedriftingvalentines@gmail.com
Flexible with budget depending on time frame and distance.

Band has its own sound/PA, so minimum requirement would be electricity. If the venue has a back line, a stage plot can be provided.

Available to travel and have no extraordinary restrictions.

The band has played a long list of well-respected venues in the MD/DC/VA area, including events for the USO, Lincoln Memorial, United States Botanic Garden, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, The Soundry, National Cherry Blossom Festival, National Building Museum, Chevy Chase Club, College Park American Legion, Columbia Lakefront Summer Festival, Diamond Farms Park, Downtown Holiday Market, Hill Country DC, Kensington Town Hall, Naptown barBAYq Festival, 1919, American Legion Post 217, Gypsy Sally's, Mobtown Greaseball, Lubber Run Amphitheater, Takoma Porch Festival, Women of Country Music, JVs Restaurant, Catoctin Creek Distillery, North Penn VFW, Old Bowie Town Grille, Quarry House Tavern Rockabilly Saturday Night, 7 Locks Brewing, Barley & Hops, Battley Harley-Davidson, Berthas Mussels, Columbia Pike Fall Festival, DC9 Nightclub, Hank Dietle's Tavern, Haydee's Restaurant, Jalopy Showdon, Kent Island Yacht Club, The Hamilton, Atomic Music, Hummingbird Hill Alpacas, Rockabilly at the V, Rock Creek Mansion, Pearl Street Warehouse, Night of 100 Elvises, New Deal Cafe, Roofers Union and more.