Thirsty Ground
Thirsty Ground
From Beatles to Bluegrass
Great songs, sweet grooves and rich vocal harmonies…Covers and Americana-infused originals
Rooted in Northern California, the seed for the Thirsty Ground band was planted during Covid. Brett and Kayla gave porch concerts for their neighbors who were locked down and craved live music. The porch concerts created the much-needed feeling of human connection and sweetness. As the world began to wake up, Alex joined in. One day, rehearsing in Brett’s living room, it began to rain. It was the first rain in a long time. The name for the trio was born: Thirsty Ground.
“Warmth and comradery seep through every smartly-sung lyric. The trio unveils musical influences from their collective past: rock, folk, country, jazz – And the harmonies are fantastic!” -Albert Salerno, former music critic, BAM magazine
Well-written songs are chosen and arranged with new grooves and layers of harmony vocals to bring out something new and vibrant. Brett, Alex and Kayla each bring decades of experience to these arrangements. Their originals also reflect the depth and playfulness of their musical sensibilities.
“Thirsty Ground is a trio of excellent musicians who have a unique style and approach. Their music is wonderful and engaging.” -Jim Stern, Engineer for Van Morrison, Tommy James, McCoy Tyner, and more.
Thirsty Ground, the music and their presence, brings aliveness and comradery to patrons and guests of any venue or event. Upcoming events include upscale wine-tasting rooms, downhome brewpubs, busy countrymarts and fundraisers for animal rescue organizations.
Alex, Kayla and Brett are seasoned muscians who bring decades of musical sensibility and finesse to their music. As Thirsty Ground they choose well-written songs from songwriters ranging from the Beatles to Cyndi Lauper, from the Indigo Girls to old-time standards. Then they give them a unique twist. Brett lays down the groove on his fretless Fender jazz bass, Kayla fills out the rhythm switching it up between guitar, cajon and ukulele, Alex decorates with lead guitar and mandolin. This lays the foundation for Thirsty Ground’s rich harmony vocals. The resulting sound is like sweet tea on a hot summer’s night…with a good dash of whisky.
NORTH BAY AND BEYOND
Thirsty Ground plays at upscale restaurants, brewpubs, wineries and tasting rooms, and private parties in Marin and Sonoma. Trivia: The trio was the first-place winners in Sebastopol’s 2022 Apple Blossom Parade.
Getting our masquerade on at the Sebastopol’s 2022 Gravenstein Apple Blossom Parade. We won 1st place!
Who We Are
Living in semi-rural areas of Sonoma County, California, the band values open space, wild geese, overflowing gardens (yes, even too many tomatoes!), playful old dogs, the boisterous poppies that blanket California’s springtime, and being real with the ones you love. Their originals reflect this, some sweet and downhome, some raw and accessible, others alive with a sense of humor. Their covers are arrangements of songs cherry-picked from the Laurel Canyon era of the 60’s and 70’s, from early Beatles and from current singer-songwriters. Brett, the bassist and lead arranger says, “These are songs that are on the edge of people’s memory or not yet on their radar. We play them the way our hearts hear them and I think we succeed in creating something fresh and compelling.”
Their debut CD, “After the Drought” includes 9 originals fleshed out with stellar guest musicians.
Alex Bryant
Vocals, lead guitar, banjo, mandolin – Alex spent much of his youth at his dad’s music store in San Rafael, California. His dad, a banjo player, was well known in the traditional jazz scene on the west coast and was a staple of the S.F. 49er’s pre-game entertainment. Alex grew up listening to and playing with top trad jazz artists in the area. Later, he dove into rock-and-roll jam bands. Alex plays (and can fix!) many instruments from djembes to cellos. Banjo and mandolin are in is blood. He breathes guitars.
Kayla Gold
Vocals, guitar, cajon, ukulele – Born in San Francisco, Kayla was influenced by the Haight-Ashbury scene. Her first original was an anti-war anthem she wrote at the age of 8. An avid horse fan in her teens and a musical theater actress as an adult, she co-wrote a country music-tinged musical comedy that played to sold-out houses. Kayla is the author of the children’s book, Earth-Guards Adventure Team. She studied classical guitar as a kid, and during COVID took up rhythm guitar and cajon.
Brett Palm
Vocals, electric bass – As a kid, Brett sidled up to the big speakers in his parents’ house in Southern California listening to his father’s favorite big band music. He was enraptured by the feel and groove of the bass. He spent his 20’s on St John in the Virgin Islands where he was known island-wide as “Bass Man”, playing styles from jazz to Caribbean to rock ‘n roll. Returning to the mainland, he wrote and recorded 4 CD’s with his jazz band, Planet B and continued to be a side man with Costa Rican bands, top 40 groups and jazz combos. Brett is also the author of 100 poems for children.
MERCH
Available to stream on all online platforms. Search “Thirsty Ground Artist” on Spotify
!COASTERS and/or STICKERS! - Available for free at all gigs.
Our new CD! “After the Drought”
Available at :
Paradise Found Records 316 B St. in downtown Petaluma, Rain Dog Records, 1010 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma, Next Record Store, 1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa
UPCOMING EVENTS
We’re celebrating the journey from Spring to Summer with fun gigs at some of our favorite local spots: Mantra Wines in Novato, and A’roma Roasters in Santa Rosa.
Upcoming events.
NEW! June 22. Sunday, 2-3.
Roxy’s Ranch Haven - A cool non-profit that rescues dogs from shelters and provides farm experiences for troubled kids!
