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Serving up harmony drenched rock n’ roll since 2017, Court Street Company formed amid southeastern Virginia’s indie music renaissance and quickly earned the moniker of “Portsmouth’s Rock Band.” Within a year of forming, the quartet released 2 singles, “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Fall Away,” propelling the band from playing coffeehouses to headlining Norfolk’s The NorVa (Rolling Stone Magazine’s Best Venue) twice. In the spring of 2019, they released “Olde Towne,” a 5 song EP named after the historic district of Portsmouth that the band calls home. “Olde Towne” would go on to be nominated as VEER Magazine’s EP of the Year, with its closing track “Indigo” garnering a Song of the Year nomination. 2019 would also see Court Street Company sharing the stage with national acts, most notably heartland rockers BoDeans, power pop legends The Producers, and dream pop pioneers The Ocean Blue. The band returned to the studio at the end of the year to record their debut full-length album, slated for release in summer 2020.

Court Street Company began as a duo of singer-songwriters, Allen Hudson and Jonah Grinkewitz. The two met at a coffee shop in their hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia and bonded over a shared love for classic rock and modern alternative music. The pair quickly combined their original music, injecting the songs with haunting vocal harmonies and laying the foundation for their signature sound. They started practicing at Hudson’s parents’ house located on Court St. in Olde Towne Portsmouth. When it came time to select a name for the outfit, there was really only one choice: Court Street Company. The name represents their beginnings and their love for the city in which they grew up. After a few months as a duo, drummer and fellow Portsmouth-native Kyle Pearson joined the band along with bassist James Baker. The fresh foursome cut their teeth gigging across southeastern Virginia and, with Hudson and Grinkewitz co-fronting the group, they found their sound: a rich blend of bright, sun-soaked overdriven rock n’ roll, waves of vocal harmonies and memorable hooks that don’t let go.

Late 2018 would see former bassist James Baker’s departure from the band, and the arrival of bassist Tim Singer. Singer’s high energy playing which verged on a mixture between the stylings of Adam Clayton (U2) and Billy Sheehan (Winery Dogs), would serve as a dynamo for the band, fitting perfectly beside Pearson’s huge heartland rock meets blue collar power-pop drumming style. With a background in 60s rock and folk, Grinkewitz’s driving and jangling rhythm guitar perfectly pairs with Hudson’s roaring, delay-driven leads. A strong rhythmic foundation, mixed with Hudson and Grinkewitzs’ ability to blend their voices seamlessly, is what makes Court Street Company’s sound so compelling.