The Drew Schultz Funk Machine is a band of soul torchbearers, carrying on the legacy from the legends of Motown and classic R&B. On Schultz' debut album entitled "Back To Class," The Funk Machine recorded original material with soul music legends including the Four Tops, Funk Brothers, Dennis Coffey, Melvin Davis, Spyder Turner, Pat Lewis, James Jamerson Jr, McKinley Jackson, Lenny Pickett of Tower of Power / SNL, Ken Knox of Chairmen of the Board, and more. 50% of the profits from Drew's album benefit the music programs of the Detroit Public Schools. In a series of singles continuing the project, the group backed R&B luminaries like Eddie Willis, Reginald Torian of The Impressions, and Mark Scott of The Miracles.
The Funk Machine has performed live across the country, and has held a multi-year residency at The Bitter End, the legendary NYC night club that hosted legendary performances by Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, and Hall & Oates, and saw the musical birth of stars including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Lady Gaga, Joan Baez, and T-Bone Burnett. At the Motor City Casino in Detroit, they joined forces with The Four Tops and other guests from the Back To Class project, presenting the first donation to the music programs of the Detroit Public Schools. They were featured in the Don Was All Star Revue at the Detroit Orchestra Hall, spotlighting the project on stage alongside Melvin Davis, Spyder Turner, James Jamerson Jr, McKinley Jackson, and Ken Knox. In order to pay tribute to Motown Guitarist Eddie Willis, The Funk Machine formed a one-time mega group with The Funk Brothers band in Detroit, performing hits with special guests including Carolyn Crawford and Dennis Coffey. In Cleveland they appeared live with Buddy Smith, bringing the Northern Soul legend to Schultz's childhood school district for several masterclasses.
This group prides itself on authentically and energetically representing the legacy, sound, and soul of the legends who have taken them under their wing, whether performing classic covers or R&B-steeped originals.
The Funk Machine has performed live across the country, and has held a multi-year residency at The Bitter End, the legendary NYC night club that hosted legendary performances by Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, and Hall & Oates, and saw the musical birth of stars including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Lady Gaga, Joan Baez, and T-Bone Burnett. At the Motor City Casino in Detroit, they joined forces with The Four Tops and other guests from the Back To Class project, presenting the first donation to the music programs of the Detroit Public Schools. They were featured in the Don Was All Star Revue at the Detroit Orchestra Hall, spotlighting the project on stage alongside Melvin Davis, Spyder Turner, James Jamerson Jr, McKinley Jackson, and Ken Knox. In order to pay tribute to Motown Guitarist Eddie Willis, The Funk Machine formed a one-time mega group with The Funk Brothers band in Detroit, performing hits with special guests including Carolyn Crawford and Dennis Coffey. In Cleveland they appeared live with Buddy Smith, bringing the Northern Soul legend to Schultz's childhood school district for several masterclasses.
This group prides itself on authentically and energetically representing the legacy, sound, and soul of the legends who have taken them under their wing, whether performing classic covers or R&B-steeped originals.
