I was a lowly busser at 505 North, and one evening after closing, I found myself taking care of Marty's section. Marty was all popular and full of charisma. I was all shy and quiet n' shit. We hadn't really met at that point, as I had only been hired a week before.
As I wiped down the tables with my trusty bleach towel, I began to whistle the melody to Silent Night, who knows why. Marty was doing some side-work, "Bisselling" and what-not a couple of tables over, and gosh darn it if he didn't start whistling a perfect harmony to my melody. I knew in that moment that he had to be some sort of musician.
We got to talking, and sho' nuff, he played the guitar, sang, and wrote original songs—just as I did. We got together for a jam with our buddy and fellow busser Patrick Andrews soon after and the music was all bad-ass right away.
Fast forward a few years, and we ended up releasing two albums together with the band Drift, I had the honor of being one of his groomsmen, we've been roommates. . .twice, and we're friends to this very day.
-Upton Ethelbah