The Lavens

NIKO LAVEN

Niko is the lead guitar player, one of the primary songwriters and lead singers in The Lavens.  His deep voice couples well with his Fender Telecaster on his country blues styled songs and covers of Johnny Cash, John Prine, Roger Miller, and Conway Twitty.

Niko got his musical start playing drums with The Krybabies, a young blues band featuring Will Owen-Gage (14), Tyler Phillips (13) and Niko (15).  They played bars and festivals in San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country and toured to Memphis and Louisville. Teaming with Ashlee Rose as lead singer, they were in the Top Ten Teen Bands in Seventeen Magazine when Niko was 17.  He took up the guitar at fourteen and by sixteen was writing songs taking inspiration from some of the artists listed above and local artists he heard at the many open mics his family attended.  Many times a new lyric was written on a paper napkin.  His solo album, You're Gonna Answer was recorded in Nashville in 2010 with producer Steve Durr.  By day Niko works as a Blacksmith's apprentice at Flux Metal.  

RACHEL LAVEN

Rachel Laven is a young yet seasoned singer songwriter with 15 years of professional stage experience. This Texas native is known for turning eyes and ears with her electric vocals and her provocative songwriting. She has performed nationally and internationally at festivals, theatres, house concerts, and small venues alike.  Rachel has a new album out  Love & Luccheses, an 11 song Texas Country album. The album takes on that new country twang with inspiration from Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, and Chris Stapleton. Songs from this album helped her to win the 2016 NewFolk Songwriting Competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Along with The Lavens and her solo career she performs with her New Grass band Sweet, 'Shine, & Honey comprised of high school friends: Steven Sellers (guitar, mandolin and banjo), Addison Freeman (fiddle and mandolin), and Sam Snavely (upright bass).  Rachel also has a company, Tuppence Entertainment, with her fiance Jake Pursell. 

ANDREAS LAVEN

The pater familia of The Lavens is a Montessori school administrator by day and plays bass and guitar by night.  He also runs sound and hauls equipment for the band and The Greenhouse Concert Series.  A singer and songwriter in his own right, Andreas prefers a traditional country sound in his compositions and his cover material favoring the music of Merle Haggard and Johnny Rodriguez.