The Low Tide Drifters perform folk songs rooted in the regional and working-class history of the Pacific Northwest. With a host of traditional instruments, sing-along choruses, and carefully crafted lyrics, they bring a respect for the past and a concern for the future to their particular brand of “music for the rest of us.”
The Low Tide Drifters started performing in 2007 as a trio made up of husband-and-wife songwriting duo Nathan Moore and Kate Downing and harmonica player Dennis Soper. Since then, the group has evolved and expanded, and the current lineup includes multi-instrumentalist Chico Schwall, percussionist Wendy Schwall, and bassist Rachael Young. They have performed everywhere from large concert halls, folk clubs, and coffee houses to union halls, university classrooms, and retirement homes. The Low Tide Drifters have also shared the stage with many nationally-known songwriters and bands including Bill Staines, Mark Stuart and Stacey Earle, Brendan Phillips & Fast Rattler, and The Haymarket Squares.
In 2011, the Low Tide Drifters released their first full-length album, New Hard Time Blues. A diverse collection of songs about labor history, parenthood, and life in the Pacific Northwest, the album received positive reviews as well as national and international airplay. Music for the Rest of Us is their second full-length album, and it features eight original compositions along with cover versions of songs by folksinger and longshoreman Harry Stamper and Scottish songwriter Alistair Hulett.
Current Members:
Nathan Moore: Guitar/Vocals/Songwriting
Kate Downing: Banjo/Vocals/Songwriting
Dennis Soper: Harmonicas/Vocals
Chico Schwall: Mandolin/Fiddle/Guitars/Vocals
Wendy Schwall: Percussion/Accordion/Vocals
Rachael Young: Bass/Vocals
Low Tide Drifters 
Hi, I just heard about you while looking up Utah Phillips on Oldies.com. I looked you up on Spotify and…there you are. I’m listening to New Hard Time Blues. I like it! I know you’re in Oregon and wondering if you are still together. I’m in Eugene. Oh, thought I would mention; I knew Utah. Met him while volunteering in Folklife at Expo 74 in Spokane. We kept in touch at random points. Great Guy…GVGSW (-:
Jennifer,
So good to hear from you! Utah Phillips was a wonderful person and musician, and he was a HUGE influence on our music. I’m glad that you are enjoying New Hard Time Blues. We really had a blast making that record. We are no longer together as a band, but we all are still in touch in Eugene. Life happened and we moved on to focus on family and other projects. Best to you and yours! Nathan.