He hasn’t graced the cover of Rolling Stone, but he has a voice that millions will recognize. The voice, sometimes slightly raspy and gravelly in that easy, thoroughly engaging way that keeps it from being too perfect, has topped the charts as part of Sister Hazel. And when Ken Block steps out with his first solo album, Drift, on December 9th, that tenor will lend a certain familiarity to the party.

Block grew up in a bohemian atmosphere, surrounded by a family of educators, artists, and great storytellers, and he was mesmerized by them all. It’s no surprise he wanted to make music; he played out as early as the age of twelve, and a series of bands and acoustic gigs kept him busy. At the age of sixteen, his younger brother was diagnosed with cancer, a battle that he would eventually lose four years later. After his brother passed away, Block went on to get his masters in psychology in an attempt to "figure out how my brain ticked, to try to wrap my brain around the whole human condition, life, and death." Years later, after he and Sister Hazel got a record deal and went on to chart-topping fame, Block founded the charity Lyrics For Life in honor of his brother, which helps fund research for children's cancers and enriches the lives of patients and families.

"Recording by myself, without the five-man democracy, was both liberating and utterly terrifying," says Block. "In the band setting, everyone puts their stamp on the songs." His bandmates, who have also created music outside of the confines of the band, are extremely supportive of his endeavors, including some contributions to the album on guitar by Ryan Newell, bass by Jett Beres, and backing vocals by Drew Copeland.

Block had been writing for a long time, settling on the twelve tracks that would make the record in much the way that a "puzzle comes together." He recorded the album in Nashville at Session World and produced the record himself. A veritable "who's who" of musicians shared their prowess in the studio. Tom Bukovac (Rob Thomas, Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Sheryl Crow, Rascal Flatts), with whom Block had worked on Sister Hazel’s album "Absolutely," contributed on the guitar front. Session player Shannon Forest (Sheryl Crow, Toby Keith, Alison Krauss, Little Big Town) filled the drummer slot, and bass players Ethan Pilzer (Jewel, Big & Rich) and Mark Hill (Art Garfunkel, Gretchen Wilson, Kenny Loggins) rotated among the tracks. Jason Spiewak (Ernie Halter, Chris Volz, Five.Bolt.Main), executive producer, provided the keyboard parts. Chip Matthews, a good friend and mixing kingpin sought for his ability to capture vocals, engineered the record. “"he recording process was so gratifying and effortless," says Block. "Pure. Easy. Like swimming downstream. We had great people in the room to help me paint what I heard in my head."

Block finds himself in a really great place on the eve of his solo album’s release. Happily married with three children, some percolating book projects on the horizon, a new Sister Hazel album in 2009, his merch company called Soundwave Merchandise, the launching of his web community “Blockville” (www.blockville.com), and the ongoing success of both Lyrics for Life and the Rock Boat (which he co-founded with the band and Sixthman in 2001) – Block counts his blessings and cites his perpetual interest in new avenues and new ideas as a form of inspiration.