Ken Demith
VOCALS and GUITAR
Ken Demith’s songwriting roots go back to age 17, when an injury put a sudden stop to his athletic pursuits. Stuck at home with a dusty Japanese Telecaster and his stepfather’s recording gear, he discovered a new outlet—writing and recording music. That creative spark lit a path he’s followed ever since.
Growing up in Hendersonville, TN—home to legends like Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Mae Axton and Conway Twitty—music was in his face everyday. Ken’s mom worked as a stylist in the country music scene, introducing him to many of its classic icons. His classmates and friends included children of top Nashville songwriters, and the town’s musical energy shaped Ken’s early appreciation for great songs and inspring storytelling.
Ken’s influences stretch far beyond one genre. He split time between Tennessee and his dad’s apartment above an old tavern in Chicago Heights, IL—where jukeboxes, arcades games and the largest collection of nickelodeons screamed all night long with the the daytime forays out of the apartment to polka picnics, urban basketball courts, and the latino neighborhood around the bar with boom boxes blasting everything from Santana to War wafting up from the street below. Summers on a family farm near Rosine, KY—birthplace of Bill Monroe—added yet another layer of musical texture.
After college and starting a career in graphic design in Dallas and Chicago, songwriting remained a constant behind the scenes. That changed in 2000, when Ken teamed up with Tony Ammerman and Steve Brown to form mercyservice. With a collection of songs ready to go, they brought in Rob Wexler—producer for guitar great Andy Timmons—to produce their debut album. Andy contributed guitar tracks, and the record opened doors and built a solid following in Texas, helping Ken find his voice as a front man and principal songwriter for the group.
A few years later, the group evolved into The Comealongs, adding seasoned songwriters Rick Reid and DW Hadley. Their high-energy sound blended rock, pop, country, reggae, folk, and more into a style they called Zydebilly earning fans across the region and opening for national acts. Just as their debut album was about to drop, life threw the usual curveballs—and the band eventually parted ways without releasing the record - maybe - someday.
Still driven to play and record, Ken launched The Ken Demith Collection—a new chapter focused on songwriting, collaboration, and connecting with listeners.
By day, Ken works as a nonprofit executive. Outside the office, he’s committed to sharing music with meaning and heart, always grateful to anyone who takes the time to listen.
Peter Franklin
DRUMS
International has a new meaning with Peter Franklin. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, he moved to London, England as a boy. With a deep love for rhythm, the drums were a natural choice for the island boy of 16 who played in numerous original bands in London. He went on to become a world traveler in the realm of sales applications in microscopy as an adult. Now he has returned full-time to the drums with a passion for music that has been the heartbeat of Peter’s life, along with his family. No matter where he goes, he carries a pair of drumsticks, ready to take to the stage and make people move wherever and whenever.
Dave Fenstermacher
KEYBOARDS and VOCALS
Dave is a native Marylander, growing up in Kensington, then Bethesda, and listening to southern rock and blues. His primary keyboard influences are Greg Allman (Allman Bros Band), Greg Rollie (Santana), Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and many of the other great Hammond organ and piano players of the late 60s-70s. Current music influences include Derek Trucks, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Warren Hayes, Gov’t Mule, Markus King Band, Medeski Martin and Wood and too many others to name.
When Dave and Ken first jammed, the musical connection was instant, easy and so harmonious with Ken's writing and performing style. When asked to join the Ken Demith Collection, Dave jumped at the chance, and really enjoys playing organ, piano, electric pianos and singing backing vocals. The journey with KDC continues
Mark Bowling
BASS
Mark has music degrees from Mansfield University and Arizona State University, and was a trombonist in The United States Army Field Band from Washington DC for 30 years. He picked up the bass after his career on the trombone came to an end and it quickly became a new passion. He enjoys “listening in a completely different way” to music that he’s known for decades, and loves the chance to create melodic bass lines while locking down the groove with the Ken Demith Collection. Mark is the epitome of a "collection" member, committing to being the best he can be and is all in for the band. Mark's years of touring as a musician in a big band pays off and he brings an incredible internal metronome and musical knowledge to the band.
Besides making music, other leisure pursuits include going to Orioles games with his wife, checking out local breweries wherever he is, and spending time with family and friends.
John Rossman
GUITAR and VOCALS
Ken envisions John as the "Mike Campbell" of the band. Simple tasteful guitar parts add to the overall atmosphere the band creates. John is the newest member of KDC. John started playing guitar in Waynesboro, PA when he was 14 years old, inspired by classic rock and blues superheroes like Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Richard Thompson, Frank Zappa, and Freddie King. After moving to Maryland for school to pursue a recording technology degree, he settled in Baltimore, playing in hard rock and indie outfits such as the Safeword Club and Poly/Western. Along with his full-time gig as an audio-visual designer and engineer, he also fronts the indie-rock outfit Sleepers, writes songs for his original project Johnny Nebraska & the 5 o'clock Alarm, and plays guitar with the Janine Wilson Band and the Ken Demith Collection. John lives in Eldersburg, MD with his wife and two children, and occasionally practices self-flagellation by playing golf (poorly).