Rootdown Biography
Who is Rootdown?
ROOTDOWN is an Oregon rock band that blends pop, rock, reggae, and hip-hop influences into an upbeat live performance style shaped by Christian music roots. The band was formed in 2007 by American singer-songwriter Paul Wright, growing out of Wright's years touring within the Christian music scene and performing nationally across the United States.
ROOTDOWN currently consists of Paul Wright on vocals and acoustic guitar, Matt Salinas on electric guitar, and Craig Paulsen on drums and percussion. ROOTDOWN's early development was associated with the rise of social networking platforms, with band members reportedly connecting during the MySpace era while living in Eugene, Oregon. The group's independent beginnings included releasing an early EP to help introduce their music to listeners.
The band released the ROOTDOWN EP in 2007, featuring songs such as Don't Walk Away and Real Love. Their 2009 album Summer of Love expanded their exposure, highlighted by the single Taking Over Me, which reached the Top 15 on the Air1 radio chart. The song reflects themes of faith, surrender, and spiritual freedom expressed through the band's reggae-influenced rock style. The album also reached as high as number 6 on the iTunes Top Reggae Albums chart and received national and regional radio airplay. Other tracks from the project include Sweet Love and Burrito Boy.
In 2011, ROOTDOWN released the full-length album Tidal Wave, produced in part by music producer Christopher Stevens, who has earned multiple Grammy and GMA Dove Award honors for work within the Christian music industry. The project was recorded at Downbeat Sounds in Vancouver, Washington, and mixed in Nashville, Tennessee. The single All I Wanna Do received national radio airplay and was selected through Clear Channel's iHeartRadio contest for a national television performance during the MDA Telethon in Las Vegas.
ROOTDOWN became a top booking act at the National Association for Campus Activities West Conference, earning more than 25 college bookings and performing at over 50 campuses across the western United States. The band played more than 150 shows during 2010 and 2011. Touring activity has primarily focused on the West Coast, including performances from San Diego to Seattle, with additional shows from Washington, DC to Florida.
Internationally, the band's first 2 EPs were released together in Japan in Spring 2010 through Surf Rock International and distributed by Pony Canyon. ROOTDOWN signed with The Agency Group in Los Angeles in 2012 and later released the Gentleman EP in 2020.