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Studio Session: Dilly and the Doves preview a new single, 'Simply Livin'

Juliet Fromholt
/
WYSO
(fromm left) James Reedy, Dale Hyde, Dylan Waters, Steven Stanton, and Logan Herrera of Dilly and the Doves.

On July 3, Cincinnati rock/jazz fusion band Dilly and the Doves returned to WYSO for a live interview and studio session on Kaleidoscope with Juliet Fromholt. The band features vocalist and songwriter Dylan Waters, Logan Herrera (drums), James Reedy (bass), Dale Hyde (piano), and Steven Stanton (saxophone). During the session, Waters and his bandmates performed original songs live on air, discussed their creative process, and offered insights into navigating the modern music industry as an up-and-coming group.

Formed in 2021 by students at Xavier University, Dilly and the Doves have honed a distinctive sound. Their music balances harmonic sophistication and pop sensibilities, layering sultry saxophone riffs over a funk-driven rhythm section. The band released their debut single, “Love, From Versailles,” in October 2023.

During the interview, frontman Dylan Waters discussed the band’s recent run of performances in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district, which included dates at Japp’s, MOTR Pub, and Queen City Radio. He explained that the gigs allowed the band to workshop material for their upcoming debut album. “When we can get in front of a crowd and see what people are picking up and the songs that they vibe with, we can prioritize that when we go into the studio to get a really clean and tight sound,” he said.

As the band develops material for the album, they plan to release a series of standalone singles. Among these is “Simply Livin’,” an upbeat track reminiscent of classic alternative hip-hop, which is due for release in July. Waters told Juliet that he and keyboardist Dale Hyde wrote the song between rounds of the popular video game Fortnite. “Between matches we would hop on the [music] software and work on the songs bit by bit,” he said. “It was one of maybe three or four tracks that we made together, but this was one that I was gearing for and already had an idea and lyrics.”

The band performed “Simply Livin’” and four other unreleased songs live on Kaleidoscope. While Waters stated that the band will soon begin recording material for a full length album, he also said that in today’s fast-paced artistic environment, releasing an album is not as vital to emerging artists as landing a catchy single that captures the moment:

“That’s the cool thing with music nowadays—before, you would have to have someone hear you and then get signed, and hopefully you could come out with an album that people would like so that you could keep doing it forever and ever. But with the internet and having access at your fingertips, or on your laptop, you can create a song on the go and hopefully it sticks... Sometimes the most important thing is being there, being present, and what we can accomplish right now.”

For updates about Dilly and the Doves, including release and performance information, follow the band on Instagram @Dilly.Doves.

Text by Peter Day based on a studio session hosted by Juliet Fromholt.

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Juliet Fromholt is proud to be music director at 91.3FM WYSO. Juliet began volunteering at WYSO while working at WWSU, the student station at her alma mater, Wright State University. After joining WYSO's staff in 2009, Juliet developed WYSO’s digital and social media strategy until moving into the music director role in 2021. An avid music fan and former record store employee, Juliet continues to host her two music shows, Alpha Rhythms and Kaleidoscope, which features studio performances from local musicians every week. She also co-hosts Attack of the Final Girls, a horror film review podcast.