The Stepkids

Hailing from Connecticut, the Stepkids operate as a songwriting and vocal trio whose members are Jeff Gitelman on guitar, Tim Walsh on drums, and Dan Edinberg on bass and keyboards. Ahead of this collaborative venture the musicians had already worked as the touring backing ensemble for prominent R&B and rap artists that included Alicia Keys, 50 Cent, Lauryn Hill, and Pharoahe Monch. The group signed with Stones Throw early in 2011 and soon performed at the label’s SXSW showcase that spring. Following the release of two 12-inch singles, "Legend in My Own Mind" and "Shadows on Behalf," the trio recorded its self-titled debut, a live-sounding fusion of psychedelic funk and neo-soul captured straight to analog tape. After several months of promotion Stones Throw set the album’s release for September 2011. Two years later, once the band had completed extensive touring, it delivered its sophomore album, Troubadour.