The Driftwoods

The Driftwoods, based in St Augustine, Florida, have been performing together since 1997 and have a varied repertoire, including bluegrass, blues, jazz and country genres, and many original compositions. They have released two recordings together, “The Driftwoods” and “Greetings from Florida”.

Gabriel Valla, a Florida native, is an instrumental powerhouse with his commanding performances on lead guitar as well as the mandolin. He won the Doc and Merle Watson National Flatpicking Guitar Championship when he was a teenager in high school. Gabe's original tunes add a distinctive and different sound to the band's repertoire. Gabe is a gifted singer, and his vocal selections range from traditional to contemporary.

Elisabeth Williamson, Florida girl, provides a strong lead vocal style and driving rhythm guitar. She also performs several tunes with the band on frailed banjo. Many of her original songs have become crowd favorites. Lis released her debut songwriting recording, Deep, a years back to critical acclaim. Please visit her site to find out more: http://www.elisabethwilliamson.com/

Lon Williamson, California boy, plays upright bass and holds the band together with a beautiful style and warm tone. Multitalented, he is a terrific songwriter and singer, adding rich lead and harmony vocals to the Driftwoods sound. His songwriting debutcrecording, Streetlight Serenade, was recently re-released due to popular demand. 

Eric Searcy, also a Florida native, has been playing bluegrass banjo in North Florida for over 60 years. Eric always finds the cream of the crop of banjo tunes and brings them to the stage with drive and enthusiasm. He also plays the dobro and adds a wonderful selection of classic tunes to the band. His vocal tunes are among the crowd favorites and his strong singing style brings a great warmth and personality to the Driftwoods performance.