Local band Radlin Rootz is surging into original territory.
Written By Cynthia McFarland
You know it when you feel it. Some music just hits home and touches the soul.
Audiences crave the hard, rustic, soulful sound of Radlin Rootz. The local band is on its way to the next milestone in music—becoming a totally original band.
Photo courtesy of Radlin Rootz
December 10 marked the release of “Down,” their first original song. A music video for “Down” is underway, and the group is currently working on seven other originals.
Each band member has unique roots—country, blues, Southern rock, funk, rock and grunge. The result is an eclectic hybrid sound that has earned the band accolades throughout Central Florida.
“Roots are the core of who you are,” says band coordinator Joe Brown. “We all have different roots, but we come together in one strong unit and make our own sound. When you can deliver it to the audience and feel something move at their core, that’s our goal.”
The members of Radlin Rootz boast more than a century of combined musical experience.
The idea germinated in 2018 when high school friends and guitarists Aaron Hewlett and Joe Brown shared the same dream of performing music together.
It was pure serendipity when they met singer Theresa “TC” Peart after she moved to Ocala from Vegas.
The group’s original bassist was the talented Jerome Robinson, whom Joe met as a young teen. As the band morphed into its current incarnation, bass phenom Tony Sferlazza stepped into that position.
Drummer Steve Bonner provided the band’s crucial beat, and through Steve’s introduction, the group grew to include Gary Heflin, whose piano and vocal skills have earned the description “Sinatra meets Billy Joel.”
Sound engineer Chris Kennedy is also a critical piece of the puzzle.
The band’s six members each hold day jobs, but music is the passion that melds them together. Joe and Aaron are Marion County firefighters/paramedics; Gary is a family practice physician; Tony is a registered nurse; TC works for a public relations company and Steve is a pharmaceutical sales rep.
Cover songs are always requested by audiences, but the enthusiastic response to their originals has encouraged Radlin Rootz to pursue this avenue.
“The goal was always to write and release originals,” says Joe, noting that all band members contribute to this.
In addition to performing at clubs in Ocala, Gainesville and Orlando, Radlin Rootz plays the Squares in The Villages, as well as weddings and special events.
To book the band and for upcoming show dates, visit radlinrootz.com.