What began as three Windham High School friends jamming together for fun has grown into a thriving musical career. David Young (Class of 2017), his younger brother, Deven Young (Class of 2019), and their friend Seth Martin (Class of 2017) have turned their shared passion for music into a professional success story.
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| With concerts scheduled in Naples, Rumford and on Channel 6's '207 Show,' David Young and the Interstate Kings are eager to perform a homecoming show at Lenny's in Westbrook on July 31 as it is where they first honed their performance skills. At left is David Young, top is Seth Martin and right is Deven Young, all of Windham. COURTESY PHOTO |
The folk/rock group are performing songs on the tour from their latest album recorded in Nashville entitled “Vintage American.” Upcoming tour dates will see the Interstate Kings play in cities throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Upstate New York, Illinois, and Kentucky, including a stop in Kansas City, renowned for its blues legacy. However, the stop they are most looking forward to is their “homecoming performances.”
“We are pumped to be coming home to play for all of our friends and family again – all those who loved our music and believed in us,” said David Young, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist.
With concerts scheduled in Naples, Rumford, and on Channel 6’s 207 show, they are eager to perform their homecoming show at Lenny’s in Westbrook on July 31; the venue where the band perfected their performance skills.
“We are especially excited to do the show at Lenny’s,” Deven Young, the drummer, said. “We played there several times over the years, and it was there where we honed our sound as a band.”
Bill Umbel, the owner of Lenny’s, said he is looking forward to their return.
“It means a lot for everybody to have them back,” Umbel said. “The first time they performed for us was over five years ago, they were young high school kids. Our booking manager, Bucky Mitchell, booked them to play a gig for us and I wasn’t sure what to expect. When they began playing, I turned to Bucky and said, ‘Wow! These kids are pretty good.’ Not only were they talented, but they were professional musicians by interacting with the audience, which is paramount in the business of music. I knew these kids were going to go far.”
It was the Interstate King’s biggest fans, Charlie and Peggy Applin, who played a pivotal role in their early success by encouraging Umbel and Mitchell to book the musicians.
“Charlie and I followed David and The Interstate Kings whenever they played in the greater Portland area,” Peggy Applin said. “We often frequented Lenny’s to listen to the music and told Bill he should hire the band to play there. We promised he wouldn’t regret it. And here they are, over five years later and The Interstate Kings are coming home as professionals from Nashville to play at this popular venue again.”
Applin and many other Interstate Kings’ fans say they are looking forward to the band’s homecoming, including Dr. Richard Nickerson, the trio’s former music teacher at WHS.
“All three were in my music theory class,” Nickerson said. “Seth and the brothers had already started their band then, and I got to witness their professionalism and talent at an early age. I saw that they had good chemistry and respected one another. They knew how to have fun, but they also knew how to work hard. It’s very common for youth to start a band while in high school, but very rare to see the same lineup occurring professionally years later. I think their chemistry, hard work, and respect for one another may have something to do with that.”
Nickerson also spoke about their incredible talent.
“David also took my Guitar for Beginners class, but he was already at an advanced level,” Nickerson said. “I wasn’t sure what I could offer him, so we focused on the musical aspects of the guitar instead.”
Nickerson said that David Young’s advanced musical level comes with no ego. “As talented as he is, he is humble,” Nickerson said. “His creativity is genuine.”
Nickerson and other fans of the Interstate Kings agree that Deven Young and Seth Martin also have a creative depth that contributes to the band’s success. Deven’s contribution as a drummer is more about feeling than words.
“I approach our music by asking, ‘How is this song going to feel,’” Deven Young said. “There is a certain feeling the drum gives and I translate that feeling into rhythm.”
Seth Martin’s creativity doesn’t stop at the bass guitar. He is also the band’s marketing master.
“I design our advertisement, posters, etc. that convey our band’s sound,” Martin said. “It’s about visual branding, and since we write and perform old-school sounds of blues, rock, and folk, I work to capture that in vintage-looking posters and images.”
Martin said that music is their passion and dream, but to be successful, they also must be serious about music as a business.
Nickerson said that he is proud of his former students’ professionalism, hard work, and success.
“As a teacher, you always want your students to do well, and to watch these three work hard and flourish in the music industry is the best.”
Umbel echoed that sentiment.
“I look forward to seeing them perform again at Lenny’s.” he said. “And it is quite possible, the next time I see them, they will be bigwigs performing on the big stage.”
To learn more about David Young and the Interstate Kings on their Vintage American Tour, visit www.davidyoungtunes.com <
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