Sunset Drive is a genre-blending band rooted in jazz, jam, rock, blues, and soul. Built on years of playing together, their sound moves freely between tight songwriting and open-ended improvisation, pulling from a wide range of influences while staying grounded in feel and chemistry.

The band started long before the name. Guitarist Dylan VanDyke, keyboardist Alex Lichtenfels, bassist Gary Seger, and drummer Andrew Weissert met in elementary school in Pennsylvania and began playing music together in middle school. Early sessions were shaped by Pink Floyd records and long nights jamming at Nancy's house on Sunset Drive — the road that would eventually give the band its name.

The improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd became central to their sound, pushing them toward extended jams and live experimentation. When the band relocated to Ohio for college — attending Kent State’s main and Stark campuses — their musical direction expanded even further.

Mentors such as Bobby Selvaggio heavily influenced the band members by introducing them to jazz theory, adding a new level of complexity and freedom to their music. Around this time, they met vocalist and rhythm guitarist Josh Eaton and multi-instrumentalist Chris Marcic.

Chris, a slide guitar and pedal steel player with a deep knowledge of blues, introduced the band to a wider range of blues traditions and lesser-known artists. His influence, along with Josh’s presence as a frontman, helped shape the band’s evolving identity. Although their first album was written before meeting Josh and Chris, it was recorded with them, marking a turning point in the band’s sound. Longtime collaborator and friend Ian Chovan played a key role in bringing that sound to life, helping record, produce, and mix Dog Days, the band’s first studio record.

Sunset Drive continues to evolve, combining their long-standing musical connection with new influences and collaborators, always balancing structure with spontaneity.