When Drake White’s new album, Spark, is released this Friday, it will feature his name on the cover, but anytime Drake performs live, he is always billed as Drake White and The Big Fire Band and he says that’s because, “I am a band member.  That is the band.  In this business, to be honest with you, you have to be marketed—where commerce and art intersect.  They have to market you in some ways.  Historically, bands do not do very well at this Country Music thing.  It is an individually ran deal.  So, to Country radio and the Country world, I am Drake White, but I love a band and I’ve always wanted to be a member and a part of a band.”

Plus Drake insists The Big Fire Band is a group of incredibly talented guys on their own.  He says, “These guys found me, I didn’t find them.  These guys came to me and said they liked my music.  I didn’t hire side guys; I didn’t just hire a band in two years.  This band has been in the making for five and six years, we’ve played 150 shows a year with each other for that long.  So, they’re as much as integral a part of my music and what we do as I am.”

Drake also believes that there is strength in numbers.  He says, “The more people you can surround yourself and the less you can make it about yourself, the better it gets.  But, I’m the front man and I’m proudly the front man, but that’s the reason you see me advertising the band on live shows.”

Drake White and The Big Fire Band are on the Black Out the Sun Tour with Zac Brown Band, and front man Drake will release his album, Spark, featuring his latest single, “Livin’ the Dream,” on Friday.

Drake White – why a band  1:07

“I am a band member.  That is the band.  In this business, to be honest with you, you have to be marketed—where commerce and art intersect.  They have to market you in some ways.  Historically, bands do not do very well at this Country Music thing.  It is an individually ran deal.  So, to Country radio and the Country world, I am Drake White, but I love a band and I’ve always wanted to be a member and a part of a band.  These guys found me, I didn’t find them.  These guys came to me and said they liked my music.  I didn’t hire side guys; I didn’t just hire a band in two years.  This band has been in the making for five and six years, we’ve played 150 shows a year with each other for that long.  So, they’re as much as integral a part of my music and what we do as I am.  The more people you can surround yourself and the less you can make it about yourself, the better it gets.  But, I’m the front man and I’m proudly the front man, but that’s the reason you see me advertising the band on live shows.”

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