Toledoans Nathan, Joel and Daniel Trzcinski credit a Jack White sighting in Nashville, Tennessee, as the impetus for finally settling on a name for their band.
The brothers were in Nashville , Tennessee, playing a show when they saw a flier advertising The Old Birds.
“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if we were The New Birds?’” Nathan said.
“When he said that, we were all quiet,” Joel said. “It was the first time we were all quiet and not immediately [saying], ‘No, no, no.’”
A minute later, they saw the musician White walking to his car,
“At that point, we thought, ‘It was meant to be,’” Joel said. “Seeing Jack White after you say anything, you might want to hang on to that.”
“It was a good omen,” Nathan agreed.
RELATED: Summer CD of local music to benefit American Red Cross
Nathan, a singer-songwriter and guitarist, recorded a solo album in 2011 as Nathan Roberts, adapting his middle name for his stage name. The following year, needing a full band for shows, he invited older brother Joel on drums and younger brother Daniel on keyboard and guitar to join, forming Nathan Roberts & The New Birds.
The group’s song, “In Stereo,” is featured on the American Red Cross of Northwest Ohio benefit CD, “Red, White & You, Too!” The track originally appeared on the band’s 2013 self-titled debut album, which rose to No. 78 on the CMJ charts, which registers college and noncommecial airplay.
“For me the song is about unplugging from your surroundings, like when you put on a good vinyl and you’re going out of your way to listen to music,” Nathan said. “Not like when you have headphones on and you’re working, but when you’re completely diving into an artform and letting yourself go.”
“In Stereo” was fairly easy to write, Nathan said.
“I had this melody in my head and I sat down with the guitar,” he said. “The guitar part going into the verse, I recorded on my phone. The next morning, I had to be somewhere early and the idea was still in my head. As I was driving, lyrics came to me.”
The brothers were happy to be part of the Red Cross fundraiser.
“Anytime we are approached about something that benefits someone else, it’s a no-brainer to me to help out,” Joel said. “We’re always willing to be part of something like that.”
