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Meet Ben, Chris, Riley, and Will. Four extremely charming (and handsome, if I say so myself) men in their mid twenties. The four found each other after some extreme networking to bring together an incredible band that goes by the motto "live simple, spread music."
But the boys aren't just like any other boy band. They're some sort of hipster-funk, smooth folk, and a lot of other "in betweens." Still sound like a typical band to you? They are most definitely not. They go by the name "The Walking Guys," and it's not just because they sport awesome Saucony sponsored sneaks. They're taking a 1600 mile trek, from Portland, Maine, to Nashville Tennessee for their 2015 tour. The point behind walking? To make meaningful connections with little more than strangers.
After a day at the outlets in Riverhead on Long Island, NY, my family and I passed by four dudes with what looked like two strollers walking alongside of the road. We pulled over to get some grub, and a half an hour later, those same boys walked into the restaurant we were eating at and started playing their music. First, they were profusely apologetic for interupting any of our family dinners. Shortly after, however, they realized that the restaurant was a casual setting, and that Long Islanders actually really enjoy live entertainment with their food. This especially included my grandmother, who was singing along, and heartily handed them money for coffee in the morning, telling them they would need it before their long day of walking.
My family pulled out of the restaurant, and almost immediately turned around after my grandma kept on mentioning how touched she was by their work and their journey. After a little bit of chatting, we decided to hitch the guys over to Port Jefferson to catch a ferry to Connecticut, where they had their next scheduled gig. We scrambled around and did quite a bit of geometry, but eventually we were able to fit all of their equipment (living and music) into two cars, and we hauled off west.
The young men were so charming that we brought them home for some showers and a few brews, and a nice cozy bed. The night before, they had slept in the yard of a historic church in Southhampton. They accepted our offer, however, it wasn't to get off the roads or take the easy way out, rather, to get to know us as people. After briefly chatting we quickly learned that all four of the guys had gone to college, some with music in mind, others having no idea which direction they wanted to head in. Ultimately, all four decided that pursuing music was their dream.
The young men, from all over the country, were very down to earth and extremely easy to talk to. We learned that the reason they were taking this tour by foot was not only to leave a name and lasting impression, but because it would teach them how to rely on the generosity of the people they meet in order to survive. On top of this, during their walk, they're creating an album with a ton of different artists they meet along the way. How cool?! They told us incredible stories of many of the kind people they met who offered them jam sessions, showers, beds, meals, and simple yet important words of encouragement.
It's not every day that you pick up four strangers from the side of the road and open your home to them, but it's also not every day that you meet such talented and genuine musicians who share the ultimate goal of spreading joy through sharing their brilliant music.
Follow The Walking Guys on their journey. These charismatic fellas need something to keep them entertained for 1500 miles.
www.thewalkingguys.com
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