Erik Della Penna

Spotify Artistpage

Actual Spotify Album

Erik-Della-Penna
He is making music since very long time, songwriting, playing guitar and other stringed things: mandolin, lap steel, banjo. His new album „Rainy“ will be out summer 2021 and before hand the singles „Babylon“  and „Change the Weather“ are on release.
As band member of Hazmat Modine Erik write a lot of songs with Wade Schuman.
He has formed his duo guitar/drums Kill Henry Sugar. Erik is guitar player for the legendary Natalie Merchant since 20 years.
He did tours with Joan Osborne or Joan Baez and additonally he perfomrs with the amazing Rachelle Garniez. They recorded an album with songs about New York.
Bio

Hi, I’m Erik Della Penna.

This is my website. I’ve been making music for a long time. I write songs, play guitar, other stringed things: mandolin, lap steel, banjo. With my buddy Wade Schuman, I write songs and travel the world in Hazmat Modine.

In my guitar/drum duo, Kill Henry Sugar, I write songs and play guitar. My buddy, Dean Sharenow, produces. We both sing. He won a grammy, but not for this.I’ve been the guitar guy for the legendary Natalie Merchant for over twenty years.

I also have a sweet little duo with the amazing Rachelle Garniez. We sing songs about NYC, our own, and some classics. This came about through a project created by the great German impresario, Ulrich Balß, for Jaro Medien records.

I’ve toured and recorded extensively with amazing people: Joan Baez, Joan Osborne, Tiny Tim, and the Tony Award winning David Yazbek, and a whole bunch of other great people.

I’m from NYC. I’m still here.

The Press says…

Music Tap
“There’s no doubt this is brilliant material – those who doubt that need to take a listen close – and it’s kinda fun to revisit it, fresh and out of context.”

New York Music Daily
“Retro charm and devilish levels of detail in this New York-themed collection of originals and reinvented swing tunes from the iconic accordionist/chanteuse and the subtly slashing, brilliant Kill Henry Sugar guitarist/frontman.”

Relix
“Stop worrying about who these cats are—OK, they’re led by this eccentric multi-instrumentalist named Wade Schuman and a whiz of a guitarist, Erik Della Penna, who co-write the tunes—or where they came from, and just let its multitude of sonic miracles sweep you away.”

Paste Magazine
“The lo-fi recordings prove surprisingly nuanced and evocative, providing the sonic ballast for songs exploring the lighter side of one’s darker feelings without sliding into farce or novelty. These are really sad songs, disguised as something else entirely.”

American Songwriter
“This is a collection of spare, stirring and emotive numbers that are raw and beautiful, like unpolished gems freshly pulled from the soil beneath your feet.”

The Washington Post
“But when left to their own devices, the duo, going under the name Kill Henry Sugar, prefers to keep things in a minor key, sparsely arranging Della Penna’s curious tales, quietly accenting his hushed tenor voice and leaving listeners to connect the dots.”