THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 20, 1996 TAG: 9606190136
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 45 lines
HARD-DRIVING Driver, together six months, has engagements on land and sea.
The oceanic gig is Saturday, on the deck of the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis, off the Carolina coast. About 13,500 people are expected.
Driver also played on New Year's Eve at Portside in Portsmouth, at the Pungo Strawberry Festival and, of course, the Driver Fall Festival.
``We'd like to play on Charlie Daniels' Talent Roundup,'' said lead guitarist Todd Morrison. The show is a Nashville Network staple.
Driver plays top-40 and classic country. A smattering of old-time rock 'n' roll and a touch of rap-for-the-fun-of-it fills their song list.
Unlike many popular bands that have gone Southern rock, ``We're sticking to the country music tradition,'' said bass guitarist/leader Danny Short.
Five of the six band members played with local rock groups. The exception is lead singer Howie Weeks, fairly new to this area from Knoxville.
Morrison recorded on a Hampton Roads label, Trumpeter, with an alternative rock group, Om Beyond Zee.
``I gave up my recording career to get into country,'' he said. Before that, he studied music for three years at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
Morrison, who played on the Spirit of Norfolk three years, also plays some flamenco guitar.
Here is another touch of Driver class: Weeks sings the old Billie Holliday song, ``Stormy Monday,'' a piece requiring his strength and power.
Most offerings are covers of songs made famous by such groups as Little Texas and Diamond Rio.
Some is stuff other bands don't do, Weeks said. ``We do anything that will highlight our harmonies,'' including stuff that is sometimes made up.
The band practices in a small back room at Automotive Equipment Co., Short's place of business on Constance Road.
``We're friends first of all, and we click musically,'' Short said. ``We all have the same tastes.''
Two years ago he, Morrison and keyboardist Greg Parker had Driver ties - thus the name.
Short moved, Morrison was looking for a house there but settled elsewhere. Parker stayed. So did the name. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by FRANK ROBERTS
Howie Weeks is lead singer for the country band Driver. by CNB