A contemporary folk sound with a roots-blues pedigree and a touch of jazz, calicoDrifters' original songs and soulful vocals create an altogether authentic Americana style of music that is both compelling and captivating.

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, calicoDrifters is an acoustic duo comprised of Thomas Burns and Sue Prodell. Thomas has been singing and playing fingerstyle, flatpick style, and rhythm acoustic guitar for over 20 years. He has played professionally on both coasts of the United States and numerous venues in between. Sue has been singing and writing music for over 20 years. In addition to playing mandolin, she enjoys connecting with audience members through her soulful vocal artistry.

Since 2005, Thomas and Sue have performed at venues such as the Olbrich Gardens Summer and Winter Concert Series, Mount Horeb Art Fair, Mount Horeb Fall Heritage Festival, The Brink Lounge, The Grumpy Troll, Cambridge Pottery Festival, Caf- Montmartre, Wild Hog In The Woods Coffeehouse, and a number of house concerts, weddings, and other private events. They played monthly at Fyfe's Bistro, before it closed in 2007.

They've also performed twice on Bill Malone's Back To The Country on WORT 89.9 FM, Live From Triple M in the WMMM studio, and on the evening news on WB57. In addition, several of their songs have been featured on NPR's Open Mic, WCUW's Pastures of Plenty in Worcester, Mass., GidaFolk Net Radio, the Online Folk Festival, KPFK's FolkScene in Los Angeles, and many other radio programs.

Reviews of calicoDrifter's most recent CD "Turning Home":

"Thomas Burns' lyrics weigh like a yoke with their heavy implications, yet sit
comfortably with a quiet sense of love and loyalty. He and Sue Prodell trade off lead vocals as if they're taking turns telling each other an old story. Burns sharpens these stories with a tight lyrical focus and details that expand in their specificity." - 77Square

"Far too little attention gets paid to the lyrical aspects of music, especially the poetic in contrast to the outrageous. For calicoDrifters, however, it's all about the emotion, the feel and the words." - Local Sounds Magazine

"The CD thrives on the marriage of Thomas Burns' delicate and reflective songwriting and Sue Prodell's emotional vocals. The best songs include an element of mystery' The album satisfies as a bittersweet love letter that, despite its title, is never sure which turn leads home." - Isthmus