Applying everything he's learned from his 6 years as the front man for the genre defying band Hooch, singer/songwriter Derek Ramnarace is currently writing and recording under a new moniker simply titled The SoapBox Project.
The SoapBox Project is a collection of music, words, ideas, musicians, locations, eardrums, rhythms and pulses.
Sometimes performing solo, duo, trio or as a full band (electric or acoustic), The SoapBox Project is a constant work in progress. With a superb cast of top notch players, excellent songwriting and a passionate live show, TSBP is quickly gaining fans and praise throughout the Midwest to Southwest Music Scenes.
The sound has been described as Roots, Roll n' Soul though many believe it's hard to sum it up that easily, citing obvious influences in reggae, blues, bluegrass, folk and many others. Song selection for a new album is nearing completion and the band is looking forward to getting back into the studio.
Derek Ramnarace just recently completed his first solo tour that took him through: Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and then back to Wisconsin where the tour culminated with a full band performance @ The Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI for a Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic Pregame Show.
Derek Ramnarace has been booked to all of the Midwest's top festivals including Summerfest, 10,000 Lakes Festival, Wookiefoot's Harvestfest, Feel Good Festival, Grateful Garcia Gathering, Campout Roots Festival, Juliapalooza w/Atmosphere, Fat Fest, Blottopia in Chicago, Culture Shock Music & Arts Festival, and many others as well as several county and local city festivals including LaCrosse’s Octoberfests & Riverfests, Houston County Fair, Hokah Fun Days, Lansing Fish Days and many more.
Derek Ramnarace's groups have shared the bill with such acts as.:
Phil Lesh, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Maroon 5, The Roots, Atmosphere, The Big Wu, Umphree's McGee, OAR, Widespread Panic, Medeski, Martin & Wood, G. Love, Rusted Root, 311, The String Chesse Incident, The Stockholm Syndrome, Shooter Jennings, The Wood Brothers, Keller Williams, Caroline's Spine, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Les Claypool, Buckethead, Particle, Los Lobos, Yonder Mountain String Band, North Mississippi Allstars, Rob Wasserman, Willie Waldman, DJ, Logic, Soulive, Dred Zepplin, Xavier Rudd, Donovan Frankenreiter and many, many others.
After releasing their first effort "The Best Damn E.P..... Ever" and the self produced full length "Kick The Dog", Derek and his band co-produced their last album at Zircon Skye Studios in Ojai,California with Jimmy Newquist from Caroline's Spine and Grammy Nominated producer Dwight Marcus, who also handled the mixing. The album was mastered by Multiple Grammy Winner Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab in Los Angeles.
