The Daily Progress

A shout-out to reporter and features writer Jane Norris Sathe and The Daily Progress for featuring Derringer Discoveries in a story published on 21 April 2022. We are including the entire story below:

'Derringer Discoveries' giving Ukraine's musicians a microphone

An answer awaits music fans who’ve been wondering what they can do to help artists in Ukraine while their world is turned upside down. It’s as simple as listening to songs by Pasha Black, In.Vade and other musicians from Ukraine on the “Derringer Discoveries: A Music Adventure Podcast” and its growing international playlist.

When listeners catch the tunes on Spotify, the musicians get royalties that can help in chaotic times. Likes, streams, shares and social media mentions help spread the word to even more new fans, especially with the hashtag #ArtistsForUkraine. And if you love the feeling of discovering a new-to-you band or artist, you’ll get the added bonus of learning why listeners in the United Kingdom, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea and across the United States are keeping up with the podcast behind the playlist.

The podcast’s hosts, who call themselves Team Derringer, share quite a backstory. Alton Prillaman and Paul Johnson perform together the band Ho Jo Fro, and they’ve participated in various bands and projects since making friends in the fourth grade. Johnson’s friendship with Laura McCauley dates back to kindergarten. Johnson and Dave Derringer have the longest tie; they’re actual brothers.

Each brings a skill set to complete the circle. Lynchburg-based Derringer brings radio disc jockey career experience to the table; he started his radio career at Z100 FM in Lynchburg in 1985. Johnson has been as a songwriter, performer and part-time radio disc jockey; fans will remember him from Howard/Johnson and other bands.

Prillaman, a bass guitarist, brings the tech skills needed to keep everything running smoothly.

“We’d be lost without Alton. He’s our IT guy,” McCauley said. With Prillaman in the mix, “Now we have actual listeners,” Johnson added.

McCauley, who joins from Roanoke, started as a fan and soon became a member of the family. What started as The Derringer Brothers — named for a family wedding business bearing Derringer’s on-air handle — became Team Derringer once the sister joined the fold.

“Everybody who’s on the podcast automatically becomes a Derringer,” Johnson said. “Laura was one of our most devoted listeners, and she reached out and said, ‘What do you need to do to become a Derringer?’’’

Helping Ukraine’s musicians was a natural fit.

“We decided to do an episode on Ukraine, and it was one of those moments we were all enthusiastic about,” Johnson said.

Musicians near and far also liked the idea. “We floated this idea of doing an episode on Ukraine, and everyone wanted to be on board,” Prillaman said.

Pasha Black, who lives in Kyiv, has a sound that reminds Johnson of Peter Gabriel and a lyrical gift that evokes Bob Dylan. Black has spoken with the hosts at different times of day and night while staying safe in the midst of Russian military attacks.

Black once told Johnson, “’Can’t chat now; the bombs are falling,’” Prillaman said. “That gave us a little bit of insight into what they’re going through.”

In.Vade plays “just solid rock ‘n’ roll music,” Prillaman said. “They remind me of Evanescence.”

A quick look at the Artists for Ukraine playlist includes “We Stand Together,” a charity single by 24-year-old Georgian artist Lua, who united 25 musicians and singers to appear.

“Hey Hey Rise Up” by Pink Floyd features Andriy Khlyvnyuk, frontman of Boombox. Ben Folds contributed “Landed.” Erin and the Wildfire — a local band who gained a loyal fan, a professor in South Korea, through the podcast — added “Sleep So Easy.”

The “Listening to Ukraine” episode of the podcast aired March 31, and it’s available on the website at derringerdiscoveries.com.

While on the site, listeners can catch up on episodes covering a wide range of musical topics. “We’re a world podcast, even though we’re from Virginia,” Johnson said.

And these days, the spotlight is on Ukraine.

“Anything we can do to show them our support, we’re going to do,” Prillaman said.

“Derringer Discoveries” can be found streaming on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Audible, Podbean, Google and other favorite places. To learn more about the podcast, the music and the artists, head to derringerdiscoveries.com.

Pictures of Team Derringer (clockwise from top-left): Paul Derringer, Alton "BP" Derringer, Laura Derringer, and Dave Derringer: