Joe Hertler And The Rainbow Seekers

Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers began their musical journey eight years ago, centered around the songwriting of Joe Hertler. Joe Hertler recorded his first album, “The Hard Times LP,” in 2009 while attending Central Michigan University. His second solo release, “Sleeping Giant EP,” followed in 2010. The band was officially formed in 2010 after Hertler met guitarist Ryan Hoger in college, and performed with bassist Kevin Pritchard, keyboardist Shawn Adams, saxophonist Aaron Stinson, and drummer Rick Hale during Mittenfest in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The band’s name, The Rainbow Seekers, was inspired by Joe Sample’s album, “Rainbow Seeker.”

In November 2011, the band released their debut album, “On Being,” through Bigger Brush Media. This period saw them perform at significant events such as the CMJ Music Marathon in Brooklyn, New York, Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing, Michigan, Electric Forest Festival in Rothbury, Michigan, and South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas. They played alongside notable artists including Electric Six, Frontier Ruckus, The Civil Wars, and Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr, consistently selling out their own shows across Michigan. In April 2013, they released “The Russell Sessions,” a limited edition CD/DVD, expanding their lineup to include saxophonist Aaron Stinson and keyboardist Micah Bracken. Their single “No Money (Jetski)” was released in 2014, reflecting Hertler’s experiences as a student teacher.

The band’s sophomore album, “Terra Incognita,” was released on February 17, 2015, through a distribution deal with Universal Music Group’s Bad Mascot label. Produced by bassist Kevin Pritchard and recorded in a dentist’s office basement in Lansing, the album’s themes explored birth, sex, and death. Following this release, the band embarked on their first U.S. tour, with stops in Denver, Los Angeles, and Scottsdale, and returned to South By Southwest. They added violist Joshua Holcomb to the lineup and performed at the Summer Camp Music Festival. In 2016, Joe Hertler also released his children’s book, “The Beautiful Monster.” They continued performing at major festivals such as Bonnaroo Music Festival, Common Ground Music Festival, and Backwoods Music Festival. Their third studio album, “Pluto,” was released on March 31, 2017, following a successful Kickstarter campaign.