The Cherry Drops: A Perfect Example of Power Pop and Garage Rock Music

Power pop music was introduced in the mid-1960s to early 1970s and developed mainly among American musicians who came of age during the British Invasion. It is a form of pop music based on early music bands, including the  Beach Boys, the Who, and the Byrds. It generally incorporates a sense of melodic hooks, energetic performances, vocal harmonies, and cheerful surroundings. 

Garage music also flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in Canada and the United States. It is more like rock and roll-styled music. This music is characterized by basic chord structures played on electric guitars, sometimes distorted through a fuzzbox, and delivered with a touch of energetic performance. The name of this genre was derived from the perception that many band groups carry out their rehearsal practices in their garages.

Combining these two music genres, The Cherry Drops became the rising band craze among the young generation.  They are an American power pop and garage rock band formed in 2011 in Jacksonville, Florida. The band is a creation of four friends, namely Vern Shank, Josh Cobb, Jamie Markowski, and  Jimmy Mason. Vern Shank is the lead singer and founder of the band.

The band name was inspired by 1960’s and 1970’s bands, mainly “Strawberry Alarm Clock,” “The Lemon Pipers,” and “Raspberries.” The band began by playing covers of first-generation garage rock songs, including the Syndicate of Sound’s 1966 monster classic “Little Girl,” “Raspberries,” “I Wanna Be with You,” and The Sweet’s “Wig-Wam Bam.”

Soon, the band started releasing their original material, with their 14-song debut album Everything’s Groovy, containing songs “Pop, Pop (Till You Drop),” “Outta Sight,” which was inspired by Stevie Wonder’s, “Uptight (Everything’s all right),” Dean Martin’s “Let the Good Times In,” Johnny Rivers, The Plimsouls, Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ “Pump It Up,” “Love Is a Groovy Thing” and “Melvin’s on the Make” inspired by Marvin Gaye’s “Can I Get A Witness.”

The Cherry Drops draws inspiration from the surf, power pop, glam rock, and punk/new wave genres, with its main influence being 60s and 70s bands such as The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Archies, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and The Raspberries.

The Cherry Drops songs “Far Out” and “Outta Sight” received recognition after being praised by musician Stevie Van Zandt of the Bruce Springsteen band. Both songs were featured on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, his syndicated radio show. In addition, Van Zandt named both songs the “Coolest song in The World This Week,” which was a great appreciation. He also played these songs on his syndicated radio show, which  airs on SiriusXM channel 21 and elsewhere.

The band headlined a show themed “A Tribute to Flagler Beach,” with opening artist Capt. Nick, who is a singer-guitarist, and reflects the beach lifestyle and especially the places and lore of Flagler Beach in his songs. This retro power pop band also released the video for “When Love Was True” from their album “Good to the Last Drop” with a little help from 60s icon Dennis Tufano, original lead singer of The Buckinghams.  

In a music video about daisies and showers, the band gave the audience a peek into their lavish home studios, which got them all warmed up.

The music of The Cherry Drops is so familiar yet so new. It is hard to find any one genre to cast them. The Cherry Drops is by far the most creative and unique band making millions of people across the world admire their work.