Driftwood: Bio
Diane Drummond - Vocals
Diane has emerged from singing at the age of 3 from family events to performing in a variety of venues with a charisma that can ignite any audience. Even as a young girl, she was taking in a wide variety of music. It doesn’t matter to her what genre it is, she embraces it all. Just taking it all in, as great music , bringing a unique and diverse flavour to music that moves her.
Diane believes that music holds no boundaries. Her instrument is her voice with which she leads Driftwood with eclectic sounds of jazz, blues, folk, gospel , country and also classical music interpretations.
Position Vacant - Bass
Do you play bass? If so, you too could be a member of Driftwood
Ali Macdonald - Keyboards, Guitar, Mandolin
Ali has been playing the piano and guitar since the age of 9 and a couple of years ago, after a 30 year break, decided to go back to piano lessons and finally take his Grade 8. He can turn his hand to most forms of music, whether classical, rock, folk or blues, something which is very useful with a band like Driftwood! On stage, he plays a Yamaha PSR740 keyboard and, where space permits, a Kurzweil PCR88, which is a full size stage piano. His guitar is an electro-acoustic Yamaha APX-4A. His wife says he's like Rick Wakeman. It's nothing to do with his keyboard playing skills, just the fact they're both Grumpy Old Men!
Dave Rolfe - Guitar
Dave was born in Reading before anyone can remember and started playing music (well Bob Dylan songs anyway) after hearing "Blowing in the Wind" sung by Danish Scouts at an international Scout camp. Like Dylan he went electric and misspent his youth playing loud rock music and ruining his hearing. Before long he had a young family and sold his guitar to put food on the table. With children fed, grown and ready to fly the nest he bought an acoustic guitar and rediscovered the music he had grown up with. After a satisfying spell with Kevin Arnold in the folk duo "Take Two" he accepted the invitation to join Driftwood.
Dave is the oldest member of the band and many people wonder where he gets the energy for a Driftwood performance. "Before each performance" he explains, "I think of my first girlfriend who died tragically young. We played guitar and sang together as teenagers and when I'm on stage I'm actually only 16 years old".
Reuben Alldridge - Trombone, Percussion
Reuben is a true professional. He teaches music by day, and blows a mean bluesy trombone by night. He was raised in the mysterious shadow of the Stiperstones, and some of the magic of the place travels with him. How can such a skinny guy blow so hard? where does all that music come from? Not that there is anything sinister about brother Reuben. He's a righteous soul. Blow that trambone brother Reuben.
Rhiannon Lewis - Flute, Piccolo, harmonies
Rhiannon has a rare combination of talents. Not only can she play complex classical music by reading the dots, but she can also improvise a blues solo or play jigs and reels. A true musician with a classical pedigree, she can still do justice to a Muddy Waters classic or an Elvis Presley hit. This sort of eclectic flexibility is just what Driftwood is all about.