"Pete’s guitar, harmonica and heavily soulful voice define his ‘in-your-face blues’ style."
Pete has acquired a strong fan base by touring the midwest and by opening up for acts such as G.love & the Special sauce, Grace Potter & more!
Once. Black. Jeremy. Why Go. Mention those words and I’m thrown back into the pits of the ’90s, when Grunge devoured the music world. A true Alternative hurricane. Although I followed Pearl Jam cross-country, the closest I came to meeting the band was this scene: landing flat on my back on top of Vedder’s boot. Ouch.
Singer/songwriter Pete Dressman has better Vedder stories than I do. Never thought I’d meet a PJ fan as bad as me, but I’ve met my match.
I’ve never been to Mac’s Pizza, even though they stole part of my last name. Meeting Dressman is my first adventure there. Mac’s is shadowy and spooky, with dark wood chairs and low lighting, but I can still see that Dressman is tired. Wearing a red bandanna to hold down his wild, curlyhair, he wears a tan corduroy jacket. Grinning, he describes the gig the night before as “something outta Wayne’s World.” Although he’s visibly hurting from a hard night, Dressman’s deep brown eyes hold a mischievous light, a spark that lurks beneath his dark looks.
Dressman says, “We were growing up during the whole Grunge explosion.”
He studied Singles, Ten and Nevermind religiously, and his study of Grunge shows in the classic Alternative feel of his music, but not without his individuality bursting through.
“I dropped outta college (in 2005) and said, ‘Let’s do music,’ ” he says. “That’s the only thing I think I understand — songs — structures of songs. For the most part, I can just feel where the song’s gonna go. It’s always been like that.”
Soon Dressman added Daryl Demoss (drums) and Marc Brodie (bass). The idea for the band name, the Soul Unified Nation, came to him in a dream.
Dressman was voted the favorite solo artist in a national competition by a Fox Network-owned TV station, and he has opened for Taylor Hicks, G. Love & the Special Sauce, Tyrone Wells and more. Of his new CD, The Current, Dressman says it has an “Alternative Blues feel to it. It’s got its Rock. It’s got its slow songs. It has its political songs, and it has its upbeat love and dirty Blues. It kinda sucks everybody in together.”
Dressman’s star-quality voice shines on the title track, which begins with lone vocals, rolling into an open ocean sound. His voice holds deep drawls, an echo and a depth, combined with integrity, soul and a natural, catchy feel. Harder songs burn with guitars and drums and the vocals are tempting and rocking. Let me be blunt: This thing’s begging to be on the radio. Smart and hard, soft and hearty, it’s full of water and fire.
Then, over pizza, we start in on more old Pearl Jam war stories, as if we’re chillin’ on Stone Gossard’s front porch or diggin’ up Mike McCready’s garden.
He met Vedder at a Cubs/Reds game and he talked to him on the phone once. I surrender.
"Pete’s guitar, harmonica and heavily soulful voice define his ‘in-your-face blues’ style."
Pete has acquired a strong fan base by touring the midwest and by opening up for acts such as G.love & the Special sauce, Grace Potter & more!
Pete Dressman was voted Favorite Solo Artist in a national online competition hosted by MyNetworkTV, a FOX-owned network.
Pete Dressman, a Cincinnati-based musician and leader of the band Soul Unified Nation (S.U.N.), received national recognition in 2006 when he participated in a MyNetworkTV online competition. The contest, which lasted two to three months, required nationwide voting to determine the favorite musicians in various categories. Pete Dressman became a semi-finalist after receiving over 8,000 votes and ultimately won in the solo artist category, earning him the FOX-affiliated recognition.
His music was subsequently featured on two MyNetworkTV national television shows, further highlighting his achievement and exposure. This award not only recognized his talent as a solo artist but also helped elevate the profile of his band, S.U.N., which has performed extensively across the Midwest and Southern United States.
The award is significant because it was nationally competitive, involving public voting and showcasing artists from across the country. It reflects both Pete Dressman's popularity and the quality of his music, which blends rock and blues with engaging live performances. Beyond this recognition, Pete Dressman and S.U.N. have opened for notable acts such as Taylor Hicks, G. Love and Special Sauce, Jon McLaughlin, and Marty Casey, further cementing his reputation in the music scene.