Reed Kendall, founder of Up the Chain, has been recording original music since before his voice dropped. He performed at the legendary suburban Philadelphia venue The Point at age 13 and released a full-length solo album while still in high school. After living on the road playing colleges along the east coast and spending six formative months in New Zealand, Kendall returned to Philly in 2008.
There, he immersed himself in a rich, surging community of musicians and formed Up the Chain. Up the Chain released a four song demo (2008) and a full-length live record (2009) that quickly got local airplay. Opening spots with America and Jeffrey Gaines at esteemed venues such as the Keswick Theatre would soon follow.
What was once a rotating cast of some of the area's best musicians has since coalesced into a tightly-knit, soulful live band. The streets have been watching Up the Chain for years, but now the road beckons. "Holy, Open, Drying Road," released in 2011, is a spirited, earnest debut album from a band ready to take their locally reputed sound nationwide. In true Americana fashion, the album reveals a sensibility raised in Philly, refined in New Orleans, and bound for New York City.