The Empty Pockets

The Empty Pockets
Performing at Double Door in 2008 (left to right: Josh, Danny, Erika, Nate.)
Background information
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	Americana, rock and roll, rockabilly
Years active	2006–present
Labels	MT Pockets Music, Inc.
Website	theemptypockets.com
Members	Josh Solomon, Guitar and Vocals Nate Bellon, Bass and Vocals Danny Rosenthal, Drums and Vocals Erika Brett, Vocals and Keys

The Empty Pockets (formerly known as Josh & The Empty Pockets) is an American rock and roll band from Chicago, Illinois. Josh & The Empty Pockets released a Buddy Holly Tribute album in 2007 and Under the Bed in 2008, with Erika Brett featured on two of the songs. The band changed its name to The Empty Pockets following the addition of Erika Brett to its lineup. The Empty Pockets released two EPs, one of which features holiday songs.

The group is composed of 4 members: Josh Solomon, guitar and lead vocals; Nate Bellon, bass and lead vocals; Danny Rosenthal, drums; and Erika Brett, keyboard and lead vocals.

Josh Solomon (guitar and vocals) grew up in Lincolnwood, Illinois, playing music with his childhood friends Nate Bellon (bass and vocals) and Danny Rosenthal (drums). Shortly after forming the band in 2006, Solomon was cast as Buddy Holly in the 2006-2007 production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story at Chicago's Mercury Theatre. Bellon and Rosenthal were cast as The Crickets in the show. During the run, the band met Erika Brett (keyboard and vocals), who was a singer and dancer in the show. Alongside the production, Josh & The Empty Pockets released a Buddy Holly tribute album called Not Fade Away.

Josh & The Empty Pockets released their first album comprising 10 original songs, Under the Bed, in 2008. In an interview with Phil Ponce on Chicago Tonight in April 2009, Josh explained that the debut album is about growing up and that the title Under the Bed comes from the lyrics "where have the monsters under my bed gone" on one of the songs. Erika Brett was featured on "Let Go" and "Fall Right Now." The album was produced by Rick Fritz. All ten of the tracks were placed on the Nickelodeon TV channel's programs iCarly, Zoey 101 and Drake & Josh.

As part of that release, the band promoted the single "Fall Right Now" to medium and secondary markets and it reached #11 on the FMQB AC chart. The album's single, "Fall Right Now" is said to be inspired by Erika Brett. The band also recorded an acoustic version of the song at Sweetwater studios included with a second previously unrecorded song called "Leaving Jackson" on WAJI's annual charity CD, a fundraising project for Riley Children's Hospital, with other notable artists including Ingrid Michaelson, Gavin DeGraw, Uncle Kracker, Vertical Horizon and Eric Hutchinson, among others.