Leaving Countries is a two lane highway across the American soundscape, a collective of musicians in a rotating line-up nearly a decade strong. Driven by the original music of Louis Phillip Pelot, Athens-born songwriter and mainstay of the music scene, this continually evolving project flourishes as much on thoughtfully crafted lyrics as it does an often shifting lineup of performers from a wide range of styles and genres. Its current form is shaped by musical influences born of backdrops from the gritty swamps of South Georgia to the mountains of Tennessee.

Athens drummer and music scene veteran Adam Funk stays true to his God-given name, bringing the same energy that has formed the rhythmic backbone of such acclaimed acts as Kinchafoonee Cowboys and Harvey Funkwalker. Avery Deakins, versatile guitarist and product of the musical purism of Johnson City, Tennessee, delivers an audacious layer of grinding riffs and chainsaw solos with a tasteful edge. Nate Lee, the rising bassist well-known for his groovy contributions to performances including Athens’ own Julie Holmes and Atlanta-based Lamar Williams, Jr., seamlessly blends a conspicuously jazz element owing to his Minnesota roots. Sam Saussy, a piano player, songwriter, and regular of the Athens jam scene, channels the soulful textures of his Savannah heritage, refined over many years in the mountains of North Carolina, intersecting such influences as Elton John and David Benoit.

In its very essence, the story of Leaving Countries is defined as much by its present form as it is by the journey which brought it to life. No matter your roots, Leaving Countries finds a part of you within itself, building bridges across the human experience and healing spirits with the power of soul.