Billy Woodward, Fife & Drom (acoustic)

As of June 16, 2021, New York State has lifted all COVID-19 related restrictions that apply to a venue of Rockwood’s size. In accordance with these revised guidelines, vaccination records will no longer be checked, nor will social distancing or masks be required, while masks will remain highly recommended for non-vaccinated individuals.

Billy Woodward is a roots singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY. His unique songwriting and storytelling is a direct result of his life-long adoration of traditional folk/blues, R&B and rock & roll. Woodward recorded his last EP, "The Beast In Me", at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, TN and has been working on a new full-length album slated for release later this year.

Fife & Drom is the musical brainchild of husband and wife team Mark Marshall and Abby Ahmad. Though the couple grew up as neighbors in a tiny Pennsylvania town, destiny arranged their first meeting, oddly enough, over two decades later at the “Crossroads Cafe” in Brooklyn, NY. One might say their collaboration was fated. The duo pen original songs inspired by the works of blues pioneers Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Son House and beyond. Their name pays tribute to fife and drum blues music, a highly influential genre which emerged from Mississippi, the heart of Delta blues, as well as a nod to the dutch word “drom”, meaning “a group moving together with purpose”.

Joined by bassist Adam Minkoff and drummer Sean Dixon, Fife & Drom's music incorporates the infectious rhythms and sounds from Delta and Chicago blues, but adapts with content for today's life and times. Their explosive live shows have audiences captivated by the band's unbridled passion, ceaseless energy and powerful dynamics.

Their debut album, Introducing Fife & Drom is garnering early praise for its relevant and resonant voice in blues music. The album features the immense talents of Jon Cowherd (Brian Blade Fellowship, Roseanne Cash), Michael Leonhart (Steely Dan) and Jackson Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds). Whether the role-flipping bravado of opening track “Wicked Tongue”, the eerie karmic retribution of “Ghosts”, or the heart-wrenching struggle of “Please, Please, Please”, Introducing Fife & Drom provides an unpretentious, unabashed, and unmatched entrance into the genre.