Artist description Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter with strong harmonies and lyrics to accompany memorable melodies

Music Style Acoustic-based rock-n-roll

Musical Influences Counting Crows, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Blue Rodeo, John Hiatt, Toad the Wet Sproket

Similar Artists Toad the Wet Sprocket, Counting Crows, Son Volt

Artist History Throughout Todd’s life, music has fueled his passions, ached his heart and inspired his mind. Like many musicians, his love of singing and playing songs led him through various stages of self-exploration. At age 9, he began playing the violin. A fortuitous incident occurred when Todd stepped on the instrument. Though it snapped in the neck and was irretrievably broken, the loss of the violin led to something else, something better. Under his parents’ bed there was an ancient Fender guitar waiting for a player, Todd had found his instrument. In his high school years, many hours were spent strumming chords into the wee hours. Luckily, a neighbor who was a singer in a local country band heard Todd playing and encouraged him to join the group as a rhythm guitarist. This early experience led to several other bands throughout high school and during his freshman year at Penn State. Unfortunately, during his second year of college, things began to unravel at home. Late that year, his father lost his job and his parents divorced. Due to pecuniary difficulties, he was forced to take a full-time job while finishing his studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Though these years were filled intense studying, the goal of medical school came into focus. Due to academic demands and familial turmoil, Todd was forced to temporarily set aside his guitar. He describes these years which were dominated with painful family problems, personal isolation and an absence of music as the darkest days of his life; yet, it would be these very experiences that would inspire the emotional and powerful songs which appear on his debut CD, titled Darkest Days.Though straddled by a sense of familial obligation and a demanding workload, Todd managed to graduate college with honors and was accepted into medical school. But, with all this achievement, something was missing. That inescapable desire to sing songs and strum his guitar was whispering to his soul and Todd began to hear it. He began to question whether he was ready or willing to devote himself to medical school. The day his acceptance letter arrived was filled with ambiguity. Todd grappled for many months with his dilemma, which became the inspiration for his song “Broken”, a somber ode to the unsettling nature of indecision. After many sleepless nights and a solitary soul searching trip around New England, Todd put medical school on hold and explored new possibilities. During that year he completely submersed himself in music. Traveling with The Gathering Field as a guitar tech, back up singer and as a dedicated fan, Todd had penned most of the songs for his Darkest Days release. When the band signed with Atlantic records, they offered Todd a position as road manager. Though excited by this prospect, he remembered his acceptance letter from medical school and found himself standing at a crossroads. One road would take him down the path of medical studies, a career as a doctor, the other into the world of music. At the time, it seemed like he had to make an exclusive and impossible decision. Inspired by his friends in the Gathering Field and by the advice of his mentor, John Caldwell (Anesthesiologist and producer of Darkest Days), he decided he had only one option: to keep both of his passions alive. Though medical school dominated his time, during his free moments, playing the guitar and writing songs comforted him and he found new inspiration while caring for sick patients. His song, “ God’s Embrace” is a tribute to a patient’s inspiring bravery at the end of her life. In December 1999, Todd completed his work on his debut, Darkest Days, and 6 months later earned his MD. Since then he has finished all the songs for his upcoming release, Calm After the Storm, which is due for release in 2001. Currently, he is working as a resident in Radiology and playing music every free moment.

Group Members Todd Blodgett-Vocals, acoustic guitar, shakersJohn Caldwell-6&12-string electric guitars,acoustic guitars,b-3 organDave Brown-Lead guitar on "Easy For Me"Ray DeFade-DrumsJim Molinaro-DrumsEric Riebling-BassDoug Everhart-Double bass on "Song and Rain"Max Leake-B3 organMatt Glascock-Cello on "God's Embrace"

Location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - USA

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