Waker was founded by childhood friends and songwriting duo Chase Bader (Vocals, Acoustic) and Conor Kelly (Electric Guitar). The group hails from Nashville, mashing soul, rock & roll , & funk into an eclectic, danceable sound, focusing on songs that aim for the heart, head... and feet. Originally known as Koa, Waker christened in late summer 2016 following the addition of Dave Czuba (Drums) and David Crutcher (Keyboards) to the already talented lineup of Ryan Ladd (Bass), Alex Mathews (Saxophones), and Ryan McClanahan (Percussion). With a name that stems from the line, “Getting close to bedtime, time to wake,” in their song, “Fever,” The intention has always been clear, to “wake people” with their music. In a short amount of time, the band has already conquered festival stages at Bonnaroo, ACL, Hangout, SXSW, Firefly, and Wakarusa. They’ve toured with Blues Traveler, JJ Grey & Mofro, Moon Taxi, Galactic, the Wailers, recorded a session for Audiotree Live, and headlined shows across the country.
Since the release of their 2015 EP, the band has continued their nonstop regiment of touring & writing. Before the summer of 2017, Waker released two singles, "Wake Me Up" & "Pike."

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