The band with a hectic summer schedule opens up about its music with Local Spins, which also showcases tracks by Lord Huron, DJ Minx, Joe Reilly, John Richard Paul and more.
‘Quite a Journey’: Cold Leather Seats has evolved over the years, now performing as a trio, a quintet and beyond. (Courtesy Photo)
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Seeded in church music and gospel-fueled environs, Cold Leather Seats’ evolution as a band has clinched them a unique berth amid West Michigan’s music scene.
“We like to call our music gospel-Americana. I would describe it as elements Americana, country, folk and rock all blended together through the lens of Christian storytelling,” said guitarist, singer and frontman Alex Svoboda, of Grand Haven.
“This is something we have worked hard to flesh out over the last few years and it has been where we now feel most at home, musically. Our music relies heavily on acoustic rhythm, three-part harmonies and strong fiddle melodies.”
Busy Summer Schedule: Cold Leather Seats (Photo/Local Spins)
The band – which has released several singles since 2020 and hopes to release an EP and full-length album over the next year or so – kicks off this holiday weekend’s Buses by the Beach Bus Benefit festival in Trufant at 7 p.m. Friday (May 23) with a jam-packed summer performance schedule beyond that.
The band – which began when Svoboda wrote a song with a Northern Michigan University classmate and eventually released, “Roots,” via White Elephant Records – has performed as a duo, a trio and eventually solidified as a five-piece, expanding to a seven-piece ensemble for some shows. (Scroll down to watch the music video for “Roots.”)
The core group features Svoboda, bassist Isaac Frisbie, singer Elizabeth Patterson, drummer Drew Poehl and violinist Bella Worthing, with guest fiddlers John Robey and Ashley Hanson occasionally stepping in. Band members are scattered from Grand Haven to Big Rapids to Rockford to Muskegon to Grand Rapids to Omaha, Neb.
“We’ve had quite a journey over the past few years,” Svoboda conceded. “It’s our first year where we feel like, oh, this group is cohesive. We’re together. We’re like the same people at every show and it’s been a lot of fun.”
FEELING ‘AT HOME’ WITH GOSPEL-FUELED AMERICANA MUSIC
Svoboda noted he “grew up in church as did all of my other bandmates really” and first started singing with Patterson at Ferris State University where they performed in a church choir together.
Consequently, band members “feel at home” with their gospel-hued Americana music that also draws inspiration from the likes of John Prine and The Head & The Heart.
“Whether we’re doing covers or we’re doing our own original pieces, this is where we gravitate towards. (We said) let’s just lean into it and give that genre more or a chance,” Svoboda said. “It’s something that I think isn’t quite as represented as much, at least in the Grand Rapids area. It’s been fun to bring that element in.”
Kicking Off This Weekend’s Bus Benefit: Cold Leather Seats (Courtesy Photo)
And with poignant, “personal journey” songs such as “Traveler” in their repertoire, the band has really connected with its audiences.
“When we play (‘Traveler’) at shows and then we stick around afterwards, we have so many people come up and tell us how it’s communicated to them in some way, how it’s touched them, how it’s resonated,” Svoboda said.
“It was unexpected. … It really has touched some folks and it’s really awesome to hear that.”
Audiences across the region will have plenty of opportunities to experience that Cold Leather Seats effect this summer. After the bus benefit, the band plays John Collins Park in East Grand Rapids on June 9, Lake Ann Brewing in Lake Ann on June 12, the Music on the Main series in Cheboygan on June 26, Gabriel Farms in Petoskey on June 27, the Summer Concert Series in Reed City on June 28, and Sparta’s Concerts in the Park on July 2. View a full schedule online here.
“Our focus on storytelling and our gospel influences really set us apart,” Svoboda insisted.
“Although we have not had a chance to record as much music as we would like to yet, our most recent works really focus on the raw struggles that people face in their everyday life.”
This week’s Local Spins Michigan Music Showcase featured two tracks from Cold Leather Seats – “Traveler” and “Hey Pretty Mama” – with the radio show also featuring new music from Lord Huron, Joe Reilly & The Community Gardeners, Empress Eyes, John Richard Paul and DJ Minx, along with classic tracks from Roosevelt Diggs, The Crane Wives and Outer Vibe. Listen to the interview and complete radio show podcast below.
Local Spins’ Michigan Music Showcase airs on WYCE at 11 a.m. Fridays and 5 p.m. Sundays WYCE (88.1 FM) and online at wyce.org, and on Interlochen Public Radio at 7 p.m. Saturdays. Listen to previous show podcasts online here.
PODCAST: Local Spins Michigan Music Showcase (5/23/25)
VIDEO: Cold Leather Seats, “Roots”
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