To put it bluntly: Derek is authentic and his music is the real deal. He sings from the heart and is a captivating performer of rock, pop, blues, and country.
Derek O’Kanos is a transplant to the Green Mountain State from Connecticut’s Tobacco Valley. His music is authentic and familiar; reminiscent of the singers and seekers who came before him. Themes of love and struggle are blended with sardonic humor as Derek draws influence from: Nick Lowe, John Prine, Ben Harper, Hank Sr, Marcy Playground, and others.
Derek entered the music scene as a teenager, cutting his teeth in Punk and Metal outfits before deciding to start writing solo material. A stint as a rapper while continuing to perform solo and with backing groups allowed him to explore a wide array of influences.
In 2015 he returned to his rock and roll roots with power trio O’K and the Night Crew, where he is currently active. In the uncertainty of 2020, Derek started Oak Honest Records to self release his solo material as well as the works of other artists. His first official release for the label, On the Sleeve, was released on 1.23.21. O’K and the Night Crew are currently working on their second album with producer/rock-star extraordinaire Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big) due to be released in full in 2022.
MUSIC:
PERFORMANCE HISTORY:
Derek has performed extensively at venues and festivals across the Northeast
| CT: Toad’s Place – New Haven Lake Compounce – Bristol Parkville Market – Hartford Black Eyed Sally’s – Hartford Webster Theatre – Hartford Café 9 – New Haven Particle Accelerator Fest – Putnam La Boca – Middletown Parkville Market – Hartford Five Churches Brewing – Hartford The Acoustic – Bridgeport The Hungry Tiger – Manchester The Main Pub – Manchester Stella Blues – New Haven Pröst Bier and Music Hall – Jewett City Bar One – Derby Cherry St. Station – Wallingford The Space – Hamden Imerzion Fest – Hamden | VT: The Stone Church – Brattleboro Radio Bean – Burlington The Matterhorn – Stowe The Collective Lounge – Brattleboro Gusto’s – Barre Metropolis – Brattleboro Club VT – Putney The Pizza Stone – Chester Ft. Ginter – Townshend The Pub – Williamstown |
| MA: Greatest Bar – Boston 13th Floor Music Lounge – Florence The O’s Music Bar – Sunderland Electric Haze – Worcester Luthier’s Co-op – Easthampton Castle Island Beer Company – Norwood Claddagh Pub – Lawrence Club Meadows – Longmeadow Geraldine’s – Chicopee Maximum Capacity – Chicopee Figment Fest – North Adams | RI: Roger Williams University – Bristol Koto Lounge – Providence The Parlour – Providence Wheel House – Narragansett |
| NH: Liquid Therapy – Nashua Harley Jack’s – Ossipee Littleton Opera House – Littleton Thayer’s Inn – Littleton | ME: Definitive Brewing – Portland Tent City Fest – Exeter |
| NY: Rockwood Music Hall – NYC Olive’s – Nyack | PA: Century – Philadelphia |
| UK: The Caves – Edinburgh, Scotland The Dog House – Edinburgh, Scotland |
LINKS:
Spotify: Spotify.O’Kanos.Music
Instagram: @okanos.music
Facebook: https://facebook.com/OKanos.Music
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DerekRyanCT
CONTACT:
Booking: OakHonestRecords@gmail.com
Press: OakHonestRecords@gmail.com
REVIEWS:
” …In his bio, the Brattleboro-via-Connecticut musician labels his music “authentic and familiar; reminiscent of the singers and seekers who came before him.” That’s an accurate statement. O’Kanos’ sound is intensely familiar…O’Kanos plays every sound on the five-track EP himself, and does so quite well. That’s always an impressive feat, even more so when the record sounds like a band. O’Kanos manages to impart as much character to his drums as to his guitar solos. And the folk sensibilities in his memorable vocal melodies intersect nicely with his garage-rock foundation…He displays an abundance of talent, as well as the ability to flit between genres with ease…It will be fascinating to see whether he continues his shape-shifting ways going forward.”
– Seven Days 3.24.21
VIDEO: