Bio
Defern (formerly Parkway South) is an indie rock band based in Nashville, TN formed by Heather and
Michael Defern. They describe their sound as “Modern Nostalgia”. It’s a rich blend of influences from
pop, rock, blues, and California singer-songwriter with a dash of punk thrown in for a bit of spice.
Mike has been obsessed with guitar since he was very young. In high school he played Eric Johnson’s
blistering guitar instrumental Cliffs of Dover at a battle of the bands. He also played bari sax in the
marching band. Later on he was in The Trumen, a Beatles tribute band, followed by years playing piano
with a variety of wedding and club bands. Heather has been singing in church choirs since she was little
(her mother and grandfather are preachers). She played the french horn/mellophone in high school
and college band. After college, she spent nearly a decade fronting one of CT’s top rock cover bands,
Clearview, where she captivated audiences with her rendition of Me and Bobby McGee. Once she got
a taste of that Janis Joplin love, she was hooked!
Mike & Heather picked up with their 3 kids and moved to Nashville in 2018 to start making connections
and further develop their songwriting, playing “in the round” regularly at legendary places like the
Bluebird and Douglas Corner Cafe. After emerging post-covid, they decided to change the band name
to Defern ahead of their upcoming album. Heather says it’s part of their “glow-up”. Look for new music
in 2023!
Performance Highlights
-Cafe Wha?, New York City
-The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
-Rockwood Music Hall, New York City
-Cafe Groove, New York City
-Norwalk Oyster Festival, Norwalk, CT
-Stella Blues, New Haven , CT
-Cafe 9, New Haven, CT
-The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN
Radio Play
-NY Groove
-WICC 600 AM
-WESU 88.1 FM
-WPKN 89.5 FM
-WHUS 91.7 FM
-Cygnus
-itscuriousradio
Contact
defernmusic.com
Listen
Social
Facebook @defernofficial
YouTube @efernmusic
Instagram @defernmusic