The Dead Pens

UPDATE Jan 1, 2020: The Dead Pens recently released (Oct 2019) debut EP "Unaddressed" which has entered the CDX-Nashville Americana chart (10 weeks), the US College Radio Charts (4 weeks), and Relix Magazine Top 30 indie releases (November/December 2019). 

The Dead Pens are a (mostly) acoustic trio. Unabashedly dark, all original music. All three members are pro musicians from different genres, who met while working on other projects.

"We play songs about love, and death, and tacos." 

Guitarist Ryan Abbott was founding member of the surf-punk band The Phantom Limbs, who many albums available on all venues and formats. He has performed live with a variety of well-known bands over the years, touring and working as a session guitar player; lending guitar and piano tracks at major DC area studios, including Omega Studios and Sheffield’s Audio. Abbott has written and recorded five albums and has appeared as a guest on several more. He brought the other two members together to form the group. 

Vocalist is Danah Koch. The singer-songwriter-musician from Stevensville, MD has gone from unknown to a high-demand performer in a few short years. Not only does Danah have solid songwriting skills, her pretty and petite exterior hides a BIG voice and emotional power that is sought-after, and has propelled Danah onto center stage of the local music scene. Danah is a classically-trained pianist, and self-taught guitarist. 

​Cellist is Sally McGee. She trained as a classical musician who has played in a local orchestra, quartets, and toured worldwide with the Washington Women's Chorus. She took a break from classical music, until Ryan talked her into doing some unusual studio work on the Phantom Limbs final studio album. He enjoyed the different sound and they began writing music together and working on unusual versions of current songs, eventually recording the first Chick Habit record together. 

The Dead Pens play their own dark blend of alt-folk, post-pop original music.