At a time when ranchers are battling calving in the frigid temperatures, one young man by the name of Sterling Drake is tending to calves with a little more melody in mind than just the whistle of the wind and silent snow.
Drake spends his winters on a ranch in Greenough, MT, working young horses, helping with the herd of cattle, and prepping mares for breeding. His aspirations as a horseman are paired with his singing career, and the two passions feed off of one another. When the weather warms up (slightly) he returns to Nashville, and dives back into the other part of his life and livelihood, working to build the team that will help him take his music to the next level. The winter trip to hard work and cold weather may seem like an unusual choice for someone with an upcoming album and a growing following in the music world; but to Drake, it’s natural choice that allows him to ground himself.
With two singles currently available ( “Doggone Cowboy” and “Living Alone”) and an album coming soon, Drake has already given the world a glimpse of his musical style. It’s all cowboy, or buckaroo, if you consider the roots and horsemanship he pursues. He sings with honesty and emotion, and doesn’t add any unnecessary frills. Instead, he lets his music speak for itself. While his musical influences include the likes of Ernest Tubb and Bob Wills, his horsemanship and stockmanship interests weave together his own family history and an appreciation for the charros and Spanish-influenced styles.
Drake’s grandfather retired from life as a pilot in the 1950s and purchased a few thousand acres in what is now Cypress National Preserve. A Florida Cracker cowboy pushing cattle through swamps, his grandfather was able to hold on despite the eminent domain push of the 70s, and kept Brahma and Cracker cattle thriving. He remembers the times he spent on his grandfather’s ranch and romanticizing the western world. His love for the lifestyle is paired with his awareness of being part of a subculture that is fighting to stay alive, as he eloquently expresses in his song “The Round Ups are Fewer Each Year.”
When not working, writing songs, or creating YouTube videos with his equally talented girlfriend (Mary Meyer, a singer and musician in her own right), he has a wide array of interests including perfecting some of the handy shots common in ranch roping. While he enjoys many aspects of ranch life, he is quick to speak of the joy of learning alongside the horse and watching their growth as they move through the fundamentals of natural horsemanship– from ground work to the first saddling and beyond. Although he spent time on his grandfather’s ranch, Drake’s formal introduction with horses didn’t come until he moved with his parents to New Jersey and their horse boarding barn showed him the world of dressage. This unique combination has no doubt provided him with an overview of the horse and rider partnership and the way in which man and animal work together to achieve a common goal.
In addition to being busy on the ranch, Drake mentions that he believes his music has developed greatly in the past year and is excited to share this development on the new album. While his own start in the musical world began with punk rock, and touring with musicians as a professional drummer, his present lifestyle of ranching and crooning stories draws him deeper into the country music tradition. With the current resurgence in the popularity of rodeos, he has seen the disconnect between the music and the past time, and would love to help bring back the dance hall days.
As genuine, kind, and humble as he is talented, Drake is the kind of guy we need more of in the music world. He knows his way around an instrument, tells his stories through his songs, and is dedicated to preserving the buckaroo traditions, while also wanting to make them more accessible for folks like himself who are truly dedicated to learning.
Look for him on social media at the following links, and on stage at the next rodeo you attend (post COVID). Plus, keep an eye out for his album.
