Sterling Drake’s sophomore full‑length album Ledges is a sweeping exploration of the Western soundscape, evoking the spirit of old‑time roots music while pushing it into new terrain. Where his debut traced the contours of his artistic coming‑of‑age, Ledges steps further into the land, lineage, and lived experience that shape his voice. The record draws from the wellspring of early American traditions, carrying the lilt of Scotch‑Irish airs, touches of vaudeville and early blues, and the rugged character of western instrumentation.
Recorded once again at the Bomb Shelter in East Nashville and produced by Grammy‑winning Icelandic multi‑instrumentalist Thorleifur Gauker Davidsson, Ledges gathers a company of seasoned pickers and promising young players. Together they conjure a rich soundscape: banjo and whistles conversing with dobro and harmonica, cello rising against the warm churn of pump organ and the clatter of saloon‑hall piano. The sound bears the weight of years yet steps forward with a fresh stride, tipping its hat to the old ways while carrying them into new frontier.
In its tales, the album roams the full sweep of the rural West. Anthemic tunes that lift the spirit of home country, yarns of gamblers and wanderers, murder ballads cast in shadow, and tender reckonings of love and fortune. Drake also turns a clear and steady eye toward the trials facing his homeland, speaking to the environmental and political burdens of the age with the plain truth of a man rooted in the land and its people.
With Ledges, Sterling Drake emerges as a compelling voice in contemporary Americana, honoring the musical lineage of the rural West while carrying its stories, sounds, and spirit into the present day
Studio Documentary & Artwork Coming Soon.
More About Sterling Drake
Montana songwriter Sterling Drake has a penchant for honest storytelling, weaving his own perspective into the American songbook and rooting it in the landscapes and traditions that shaped him. His music carries the character of the rural West, often speaking directly to the people, places, and working cultures that define it. In recent years, Drake and his band have become fixtures at cornerstone gatherings such as the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Under the Big Sky, AmericanaFest and more, further cementing their place in the country & roots community.
“Rough-hewn aesthetics” – RollingStone
“Country Music is America’s music… Drake is a brand new ambassador.” – Bearded Gentlemen Music
“Perfect fusion of western swing, honky-tonk heartache, and dance hall treasures.” – Lonesome Highway
“That’s some delicate sh*t.” – Russ Pahl
Social & Environmental Initiatives
Drake’s work is deeply message‑forward, advocating for the issues facing his home region and rural America at large. In 2024, he released the EP Jerico Sessions in partnership with the Western Landowners Alliance, supporting efforts to sustain working family ranches across the West. His 2025 debut full length album “The Shape I’m In” also serves as a platform for mental‑health awareness among rural communities and working cowboys, offering a voice of solidarity in places where those conversations are often hardest to start.
Through it all, Drake champions the pride, diversity, and shared heritage of American roots music. His songs aim to build unity, giving small communities a place in the broader cultural conversation and reminding listeners of the common threads that run through the American story.
Sterling Drake 