Rob Drabkin

2010 Winner of Westword's Best Singer-Songwriter
2009 Opening act for the Mile High Music Festival via Westword Music Awards
2010- Honorable Mention at 2010 Telluride Troubadour Contest
2009 Winner of Westword's Best Singer-Songwriter
2009 Regional Finalist of NewSong Mountain Stage Contest
2008 Winner of Westword's Best Singer-Songwriter

"Rob, I would like to buy one of your CDs" - Colin Hay (Men At Work)

"There was a time when singer-songwriters would flock to Greenwich Village, or head on out to the sunny shores of California to cut their teeth and ply their trade. But in recent years this trend seems to have changed, with many artists preferring to make their base of operations in the fly-over States, instead of just looking at them as they move from coast to coast. One of these new breeding grounds for talented singer-songwriters is Colorado, as the State has become known for fostering an environment where artists of all backgrounds and tastes can grow and excel.

Rob Drabkin is just such an artist. His fresh take on songwriting, not to mention his guitar chops, have landed him some big gigs in recent years, including playing at Red Rocks and The Mile High Festival, as well as being named Colorado Singer-Songwriter of the year in both 2008, 2009 and 2010 by Westword magazine"
- Matt Warnock, Guitar International Magazine.  http://guitarinternational.com/2010/11/27/artist-profile-rob-drabkin/

"Heartfelt, soulful roots rock, but without all the stultifying restraint and ‘taste’ that usually keeps a lid on the musical interest and kills the vibe. Arrangements are never cluttered, or over-clever, but they’re all written with the courage to let the musicians step out and actually play a little. And boy, can they play. Normally it’s only metal players that get to show their chops off like this in rock music. This stuff is proper wicked! (Great songs too)."
Live Unsigned - http://www.liveunsigned.com/show/4-united-states/277-colorado/767-denver/10412/7469-rob-drabkin?view=all&order_by=date&page=1

"A track for all Time is “She Comes and Goes”, a song so sincere and sweet, without any tackiness, that if it hit the radio it would be requested daily. The melody, quick words with a boisterous chorus, warms like a rising sun. It’s part love song, part nostalgia, but in its somewhat narrative structure, without too much detail bogging it down, “She Comes and Goes” is pop infused with truth, and also innocence."  John Powell, Angelica- Music.  http://www.angelica-music.com/reviews/rob-drabkin-on-these-heavy-feet-album-review





"What it [Rob Drabkin's set at the 2009 Mile High Music Festival] was like: Knowing that you're seeing a talented young musician who won't be playing side stages for much longer.

"I'm pretty sure no other performer at the festival had more hair on has more hair on his head than Rob Drabkin. The afro-headed acoustic guitar player cuts a memorable image to people who see him perform for the first time. He busted out his trademark flip flop rock tunes to an adoring crowd. Flip-flop rock, you know it: breezy Jack Johnson/Jason Mraz-style tunes that get people dancing. In fact, after the third song, Rob and his band were pulling in inquisitive newbies like a moth to a flame.

"Verdict: Drabkin's brand of breezy flip flop rock is perfect for summertime festivals, and today was no exception." -- B. Dutch Seyfarth, http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2009/07/mile_high_music_festival_live.php




"There is a voice in Denver that needs to be heard, and that voice belongs to singer/songwriter Rob Drabkin. The stellar combination of his voice, guitar playing and lyrics make his concerts a must-see... He can captivate any audience, whether it's a small gig with him and his guitar, or a bigger venue with his full band. His latest CD, "On These Heavy Feet", reminds me of the Counting Crows CD, "August and Everything After" in the sense that there is no other way to listen than to hit play, sit back, and listen to the entire CD play on through...A listener will not be disappointed. Check out his tour schedule and get a firsthand experience of the greatness that is Rob Drabkin."
-- Thoreson, http://denver-music.com/news/must-listen-rob-drabkin


"When folks talk about an artist growing, rarely are they talking about a physical change. But for Rob Drabkin, it seems that the more his career grows, the more his full-throttled afro reaches the ceiling, as if the stage lights he plays under were actually grow lights, forcing his locks to stretch with each passing performance.  And as his reputation has grown, so too has his set and sound. While writing music for his first full length album On These Heavy Feet, released in 2008, Drabkin added a full band to flush out his sound. While it's possible to catch him with his full band, most times it is just Drabkin and his guitar, playing his songs, while giving it the good flare of improvisation that he learned from jazz to keep it fresh and new for the audience every time.  [Drabkin has] a soulful yet penetrating style and tone that compliments his intricate guitar picking almost flawlessly and earned him the award for best singer/songwriter in Westword in 2009" -Joe Kovack, Marquee Magazine, http://marqueemag.com/rob-drabkin/2010/03/01/

"There have been many winning combinations since the beginning of time: peanut butter & jelly, beer & pizza, John Elway & the 1997 Broncos… this list goes on. However, another duo can be added to the ranks of “so dang good together.” Denver singer-songwriter Rob Drabkin recently teamed up with Davy Knowles (of Back Door Slam, The Rhythm Devils) to record an Allman Brothers cover. “Melissa” combines an already great song with Drabkin’s unique style and Knowles’s intricate blues guitar solos."
- Tim Weilert, Something Like Sound.  http://minesblog.com/music/2010/08/26/fresh-jam-rob-drabkin-davy-knowles-melissa/

"Rob Drabkin warmed up for Trevor Hall at the Fox Theater in Boulder, Colorado on August 15, 2009, and within seconds of hitting the stage had the packed house in the palm of his hand...Just do yourself a favor and go to his website by clicking on his name above and find out where he is playing next and check him out. Then you can be one of the lucky ones that can say 'I saw Rob Drabkin before he blew out of Denver like a shooting star.' He won the Westword Music Showcase and the write-in vote to get to play the prestigious Mile High Music Festival 2009." - Lewis Cooper, http://gonzoshots.com/archives/2106


"Rob Drabkin, who flew all the way from Colorado for the occasion, was another technical whiz. He played a brief opening set, crooning over some complex acoustic licks." - Washington City Paper, live review from the Birchmere, 2009 (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2009/08/26/cirque-de-knowles-back-door-slam-birchmere/)




"What Well this is a gem! For all you who are fans of Drabkin's music, On These Heavy Feet will not only add to your RD collection, but it's completely obvious how much Rob has grown musically to date. On These Heavy Feet is an album that continually moves me. Its musical intellect gives birth to new ideas for any artist looking to find a potential new sound. One simply cannot miss the quality of his first-rate ear." -Dave Preston, The Colorado Music Buzz, March '09 http://www.ColoradoMusicBuzz.com/Index.asp?LinkTo=A191


"The surprise of the night was the middle act, Denvers Rob Drabkin. Taking the stage armed with an acoustic guitar, a djembe (small acoustic drum) player and an afro that would have made a Will It Go Round In Circles-era Billy Preston proud, Drabkin lit into the first of many short stories told with guitar and drum....His intricate finger picking method and character driven songs got our attention. With a voice and song structure not too far from Dave Matthews, just this side of Jack Johnson, Drabkin won me over... By the end of his set, I was a fan, bringing his cd home for closer inspection." - A.J. Crandall, KINK FM Radio. Show Review
http://www.kink.fm/Concert-Review--Back-Door-Slam/3101916


"Drabkin's self-titled album has just the right 'sweet things' that push emerging artists into the national scene. The native Coloradan has climbed the proverbial singer/songwriter ladder to the
next level. And it's pretty damn impressive... Drabkin houses a honeyed, powerful voice... His melodic finger-picking and good balance of tunes ranging from rhythm guitar to folksy ditties displays his near-perfect guitar skills... He throws his all at this album, and it shows. If Drabkin keeps this up, he will shoot out of the local scene faster than the Fray."
-Colorado Daily (Boulder, CO)
www.coloradodaily.com/articles/2006/08/09/mix_sections/spin_this/spin1.txt

"Playing to a sold-out crowd is one thing. But playing to a sold-out crowd on your birthday is something entirely different. Saturday was good to Rob Drabkin, who sold out the Soiled Dove Underground and he moved more than 300 tickets as the headliner."
- Brian Carney, The Denver Post
http://blogs.denverpost.com/reverb/2008/01/21/rob-drabkin-the-soiled-dove-underground/

"What sets Drabkin apart is his sizable talent as both a singer and guitarist. Lots of people can sing, and lots of people can play guitar, but very few people can blow an audience away with both at the same time. Those that can are now household names - John Mayer, Damien Rice, Dave Matthews. Drabkin is on this level. His crisp voice smoothly blankets his audience with an attentive comfort, and his ability to simultaneously execute complicated guitar riffs is enough to impress the most seasoned musician."
Jesse Walker, Colorado Music Buzz
www.coloradomusicbuzz.com

"Drabkin did it again The five-song E.P. is a pleasant release to tide fans over for a while... The Denver resident has been exploding in the local scene for the past couple of years. His afro, coupled with his guitar and serene voice, is all the singer/songwriter really needs to make our town go round."
-Chisty Fantz, The Colorado Daily
www.coloradodaily.com

"Robs CD has a warm vocal style, loads o sincerity, and some really wonderful arrangements He's both a nimble-fingered guitarist and beyond serviceable as a vocalist... All in all, Drabkin put together a fantastic evening."
- Westword Magazine

"Like Dave Matthews, Damien Rice, and/or Jack Johnson? Turn up those speakers and check out Rob Drabkin - an unbelievably talented guitarist and songwriter. Don't like those artists mentioned? Check out Rob anyway, he's worth it. Already a success in Denver, Rob has gigged with Tim Reynolds and was recently invited to play for former president Bill Clinton. Amie Street fans took to Rob's music immediately, and within 48 hours of posting his music, Rob's songs were bought almost 100 times, and REC'd 10 times."
David Farber, founder of Amie Street- an independent music download site.
http://amiestreet.com/blog/post/sweet-things-from-rob-drabkin


"Rob doesn't leave me indifferent - far from it. As much as being gifted, the guy is generous to the point that the collection of his work is freely downloadable on his site. This being said, this doesn't prevent you to support it by buying his album on CD Baby. Briefly, you will love the guitar and the things I cited above. Rob Drabkin is made for your ears."
www.ericnroll.com



"Denver singer/songwriter Rob Drabkin was invited not too long ago to perform at a fund-raiser hosted by Beth Strickland, wife of former Colorado U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland. Attending the fund-raiser at the Strickland's house in Denver was none other than President Bill Clinton.

"Everyone was talking to him about politics," explained Drabkin. "I went up to him and talked about saxophones for 10 minutes."

That sums up Colorado native Rob Drabkin - always about music."
-By Peter Marcus
The Denver Daily News