Peoria native Nick Boettcher and his band Drivetrain will bring a new face into the mix during a show at 9 p.m. Saturday at Crusens on War Memorial. Boettcher, a 2002 graduate of Notre Dame High School, will bring in Morris native Paige DeChausse. The two recently met after being introduced by a fellow musician.
"A musician who knew both of us mentioned that she was looking for a young, blues-based guitar player and thought we might click," Boettcher, 27, said. "We met, and it did click."DeChausse, 23, was a finalist on Season 9's "American Idol." She's now living in Coal City and working as a secretary at a realty office as she cultivates her musical career. She grew up listening to country music, then connected with old-school blues musicians who taught her the ropes. She sang jazz while attending Joliet Junior College. She started writing songs at a young age - though she didn't identify her words as songs at that point.
"I was always into poetry, I started keeping a journal when I was 6 or 7," she said. "But I never knew I was writing songs until I was 16 or 17. I was playing with these blues guys and showed them my journal one day and they said, 'Honey, these are songs.' But I'm still progressing as a songwriter - I wouldn't call myself that yet."
Boettcher currently lives in Chicago and runs the lesson program at Avenue N Guitars in Wicker Park, while playing music on the side with various groups such as Drivetrain, which he formed with Brian Quinn and Peoria native Rob Gould.
Boettcher said he was struck by DeChausse's "pure love" for playing and performing. "I've been through a lot of different players and groups, and it's easy to lose that excitement and drive. But that's something Paige has. That, in addition to her talent and her great taste in music, really inspired me."The show starts at 9 p.m. Saturday at Crusens on War Memorial. There is a cover charge of $5.