Emerging country music duo October Rose owes their creative union to a modern form of communication— social media. You see, country music artists Leanne Weiss and Derek Allan first connected thanks to social networking and were able to meet up since they both reside in New Jersey. After a few songwriting sessions, recording a cover video, and playing at a county fair together, the pair decided to join forces and form October Rose in October 2016.
Since linking up, October Rose has been a force to be reckoned with on the New York City country music scene. With featured appearances on Ty, Kelly and Chuck’s “10 Minute Tune” and opening slots for Drew Baldridge, Russell Dickerson, and Sara Evans, this duo is gaining momentum. Their extensive list of performance venues include the Mayo Performing Arts Center (NJ), Webster Hall (NYC), and The Bitter End (NYC.)
With a modern country sound that is truly unique, this country duo is ready to show off their vocal stylings on their debut EP, All In, to be released in early 2018. The first single, “Heartbreak Song” is out now. Check out the audio below!
Country Fancast recently caught up with Leanne and Derek to learn more about October Rose, their background, and their future plans! Check out their interview.
Country Fancast: “What led to the name October Rose?”
October Rose: “We had the hardest time coming up with a name. We knew we wanted to use Rose but couldn’t match any other words with it. Finally, we were in the kitchen and looked down and saw the words “October.” It stood out so much and we knew we had our name. It was the only name that didn’t sound like a Little League baseball team!”
CF: “How would you describe the New York City country music scene?”
OR: “It’s up and coming! We are a tight-knit community of supportive performers and fans who stick together. We’re thankful for our local stations like NashFM 94.7 and Thunder 106 for supporting local talent.”
CF: “Do you think growing up in the Eastern United States has given you both a slightly different musical perspective?”
OR: “Derek grew up outside of Pittsburgh and got both a country and city perspective growing up. Pittsburgh has a blue collar attitude that fits right into the country spirit. Leanne grew up in Northern New Jersey near the city and the country as well. The themes in country music – heartbreak, patriotism, loneliness – are universal no matter where you come from.”
CF: “Having opened for artists Drew Baldridge, Russell Dickerson, and Sara Evans, which experience was the most memorable?”
OR: “Opening up for Drew Baldridge was our first full band show as a duo at Maxwell’s Tavern in Hoboken, NJ. It was such a great experience and a milestone for us. Plus, Drew is an awesome guy!”
CF: “How would you explain your upcoming debut EP, All In, to country music fans?”
OR: “With ‘All In,’ country music fans will hear our true sound, and it’s a sound that we feel is unique to the genre. Each of the six songs infuses some pop and rock. Our debut single ‘Heartbreak Song’ was the first song we ever wrote together as a duo. ‘Closer’ was a solo tune written by Derek and reworked into a duet, followed by ‘Bonfire.’ which we wrote shortly after sitting around a fire pit singing with some strangers in Connecticut. You’ll hear a stripped down, mostly acoustic ‘Heart Can’t Lie,’ and ‘Drink It Up,’ which is heavy with electric guitars. The title track ‘All In’ pays tribute to our musical journey, as we are giving it our all in country music.”
CF: “When individuals listen to your brand-new EP, what kind of emotions and thoughts do you want them to experience?”
OR: “Our EP is balanced and we want to take listeners on an emotional ride. We want them to feel the joy we feel and the highs and the lows.”
CF: “We know you both are big fans of 80’s hair metal and classic country— Please name your favorites!”
OR: “You’ll often find us singing along to Firehouse, Whitesnake, Heart, Skid Row, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard.”
CF: “Where do you do your best songwriting and creative work?”
OR: “Mornings on the couch with a cup of coffee. There’s something about being in an almost dream state that inspires creativity.”
CF: “If you could play ‘song swap’ with any other country music artist, who would you choose and which song would you snag for yourself?”
OR: “Right now, we are really digging ‘Tequila’ by Dan + Shay. We would definitely love to swap that!”
CF: “Besides dropping your EP, what other goals do you have for 2018?”
OR: “Our goal is to gain exposure on a national level and for as many people to hear our music as possible.”
Be sure to share this rising country music group with other country music fans!
