Derrick Yu looks for talent everywhere. Out on the quad. Eating his lunch. Sitting in class. As the only remaining original member of Tennessee Whiskey, a student rock/alternative band started in 2006, Yu has become responsible for finding bandmates to replace those who have graduated or become inundated with schoolwork.

One day, when the Tepper undergrad is walking along Morewood Avenue, he pauses at the sound of pat pat pat. It takes him only a moment to identify what he hears–there's a guy sitting on a bench outside of New House dorm stooped over a set of drum pads, rocking out to Black Magic Woman on his iPod.

"I thought this guy was good," says Yu. He approaches the bench, startling Jason Calaiaro out of his rhythmic reverie. Yu has discovered Tennessee Whiskey's new drummer–Calaiaro, a mechanical engineering major.

Other searches for bandmates by Yu, the group's bass player, have taken him to places such as the freshman orientation talent show. There he saw Nathan Zoob, a creative writing major, sing and play guitar. Like Calaiaro, Zoob was recruited by Yu. Together with singer/guitarist Guy Russo, a linguistics and music composition major, the four make up the band today.

As haphazardly as the band was put together, it got some traction, playing everywhere from coffee houses near campus to house parties and finally getting into a College Battle of the Bands competition–battling against 23 bands from West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and as far away as Minnesota. Tennessee Whiskey emerged as one of five finalists, which landed them a gig at the grand finale playoff at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, just outside of Pittsburgh. "You felt like a rock star for just a little bit," says Calaiaro, who remembers the performance before a packed house as his favorite, even though Tennessee Whiskey didn't win.

Zoob has a different memory of the band’s best performance. "[In] my freshman year, we did a house party, at Rugby House. We were down in the basement ... everyone was really into it, we played mostly covers, and everyone was dancing and singing along. It was like a real rock show."

The search for new members has been on hold for awhile, but because Yu and Calaiaro are seniors, Zoob and Russo will have to take over the search for the next members of Tennessee Whiskey in the halls of Doherty, Wean, Baker, Tepper.

—Michelle Bova (HS'07)