There is definitely nothing old news about the local band Old Soul.
What started in 2008 as a three-piece band playing fraternity and sorority tailgates, has now evolved into a very popular band around town.
"Getting the band started really was not difficult," said John Ross who plays bass for the band. "Since we all knew how to play the only thing was finding time to play and a place to play. Once those needs were met we got right to playing. From there the most difficult thing was adapting to each others styles and figuring out what we wanted to play."
The band has played at several places around Auburn including Quixotes, 1716, In Italy, Flip Flops and Bourbon Street.
Ross said his favorite part about the band is that all the members are great friends and they just, in his words, fell into a band.
"Being friends and respecting and enjoying each others' taste in music really makes the process fun," Ross said. "It is sometimes difficult to describe our sound because it changes often. We cover a wide variety of music which keeps us as well as our audiences entertained."
Chase Brown, lead vocals and guitar player, said his family history is what shaped his style of play.
"I grew up in rural Monroe County," Brown said. "In my early teens I taught myself to play on an old guitar my grandfather gave me. The old country songs he'd play and sing for me were a big influence on my style of music."
All of the band members have a family history deep in music. Thomas Ardrey who plays drums is planning on continuing his families musical history after college.
Ardrey is majoring in vocal music education and organ performance.
"I started piano at age 7, drums at age 8 and the organ at age 17, my mother is a vocalist and pianist, my father a drummer, my grandfather a pianist so my family was a big musical influence," Ardrey said.
Ross said the part of being in the band that has challenged them most has been the booking process.
"Getting booked has really been an interesting process," Ross said. "Fortunately for us, we all have friends in fraternities and sororities who have given us the opportunity to perform for their functions, and after we have played they have asked us back."
Ross said right now they are handling all of their own booking, but have talked with different agencies such as Crescent Moon.
"The bar scene in Auburn is competitive as it is in most college towns, but we have been very fortunate to have been given chances to play by almost every bar in the city," Ross said.
Ross said he could not really put his finger on what specific genre Old Soul belongs to.
"If we had to give it a genre, we would say that when you go to an Old Soul show you are going to hear rock that is heavily rooted in the Blues," Ross said.
Their upcoming shows include "Sundown at Kiesel" in Auburn Oct. 8 (free admission) and SkyBar Cafe in Auburn Oct. 15.
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