Sweet Tea Project - Alder Lane Farm (2017)

Named after the drink that is a cultural trademark of the band’s home region, The Sweet Tea Project began serendipitously when the veteran singer/songwriter and front man of the multi-platinum rock legends Collective Soul, began reconnecting with the rich club and coffeehouse scene in Atlanta. On random nights, he would invite some of these popular local musicians to his house to jam on tunes he had written that reached outside the stylistic jurisdiction of Collective Soul, including “Going to Birmingham,” one of the highlights from their debut album Devils ‘n Darlins that Roland penned on the ukulele.

Roland enjoyed the loose homespun atmosphere, especially the unexpected energy of co-writing new songs with some of these musician friends. Among the most frequent visitors as the casual Sweet Tea jams took shape were bassist Brian Bisky and Christopher Alan Yates (who also plays banjo and trumpet). The lineup of The Sweet Tea Project also includes guitarist Jesse Tripplet and drummer Mike Rizzi.

More than simply a magical, engaging one off project from Collective Soul, The Sweet Tea Project is evolving into a powerhouse recording and touring unit. Fans can look forward to a second album, Alder Lane Farm, slated for release in October 2017.