Cawlings is an up and coming trio based in Birmingham, AL, and is made up of Andrew Bullard, Maddie Harper, and Drew Romanowski. Outside of the band, Andrew is a music educator, Maddie a marketing director, and Drew an audio/visual engineer. Andrew and Drew met through marching band at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where they were formally trained in percussion and brass, respectively.  Maddie has over 15 years of vocal performance experience and graduated high school with Drew. The three were ultimately brought together by a Penny and Sparrow concert and a shared love of The Civil Wars, Nickel Creek, among others, and formally became Cawlings in late 2019. 

The name “Cawlings” comes from Andrew and Drew’s love of Collings instruments - it’s a play on words of the brand “Collings”. While they both play multiple instruments, you will frequently see Andrew on a Collings MF mandolin, named Ruby, and Drew on a Collings D2H, named Pearl. These instruments and their approach to them help lay a foundation of tones that are Cawlings’ signature material. 

Cawlings would rather let the story influence the sound as opposed to forcing each composition into a certain genre. Their affinity for bluegrass and acoustic music can be found throughout, but with that they weave in their love of classic rock, pop, and other genres with new explorations at the forefront.  Cawlings is best known for their harmonies and contentment with the imperfect. Making music they want to listen to and being proud of the music they create is at heart and soul of the group. As a band, they are drawn to what feels real and intimate, and that is reflected in their debut EP, When The Leaves Change.

With the intentional unsubscription to a definite genre, When The Leaves Change offers a perfect platform for Cawlings to continue writing the stories that come their way. Their love of people fuels their music and their calendar as you can always find Cawlings involved within their city’s events. They are humbled by the opportunity to make music alongside Birmingham’s growing music scene.