THE MADISON LETTER

“Patience is key”; a phrase that describes a principle The Madison Letter has been learning since the band formed in February of 2010, but has rewarded them in opportunities few others have the chance to experience. With influences from a wide spectrum of artists including Colbie Caillat and The Script to Anberlin and Taking Back Sunday, The Madison Letter delivers a fresh, mainstream sound with strong vocal, melodic, lyrical, and rhythmic elements that made you fall in love with music in the first place. The three founding members of The Madison Letter met while attending Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois. Clayton Jones, 21, lead vocal and guitar, from St. Louis, Missouri, had already released two solo albums, “Volunteer” and “Hear Eye Go,” before forming the band. Phil Ortiz, electric lead guitar and background vocals, is a 21-year-old from Sugar Grove, Illinois, whose former band The Long Haired Chihuahuas made it to the top 20 on the TV show “The Next Great American Band”. Drummer Tyler Ross, Meadville, Pennsylvania, had previously played with In The Blind, touring with bands like Willet and The Ember Days. The newest member of the group, joining the three others in 2011, is Mitch Schrock, bass and background vocals, from Burr Oak, Michigan. The band’s first single, “You’re More Beautiful,” was recorded in January of 2011 at Groove Kitchen Studio, in Greenville, Illinois, with engineer Luke DeJaynes. They’ve also recorded with Stephen Leiweke (Jars of Clay, Dave Barnes, Joy Williams of The Civil Wars,), at Yackland Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, releasing their first EP, “Patience,” on April 15th, 2011, and their second single “Just Believe” in July 2011 as a free download. The band’s most recent release dropped on July 6th, 2012, a 6-song self-titled EP featuring they’re latest single “In The Middle”. They value the live show experience and the process of meeting new people and building lasting fans, and have traveled as far as Minnesota, South Dakota, Texas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania to do so. In October 2012, they were asked to open for the Irish Pop/Rock band The Script at Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, MO where they performed for a crowd 2000 people and received and overwhelming response. Hard work is not foreign to TML, and they are starting to see the fruit of it. This can only be the beginning. The Madison Letter carries a deeper meaning to its members than most band names; theirs symbolizes a personal philosophy. Referring to a letter written by President James Madison in which he declared that a nation without God at its core could not survive, The Madison Letter believes the same is true in their own lives, in their music, and most importantly, in the success of the band.