Sophomore Patrick Adler doesn’t just hit the greens, he hits high notes.
His family’s shared passion for music mixed with extended time at home created the concoction that is The Adler Brothers band.
It was through lessons growing up that a band in the future looked possible.
“My parents had us take music lessons when we were kids. My oldest brother took guitar lessons, my middle brother would have piano lessons and I’d have drum lessons,” Patrick said. “We already had a mini band before we even took off.”
Adler’s mother, Katherine, passed down her love for music to her three sons.
“I love music, and I would love to have had lessons when I was growing up, which was part of my aim for having the boys take lessons,” Katherine said. “It was great for them to do lessons together as brothers, especially since there was a big age gap between them.”
Connor, the oldest, is eight years older than Patrick, and seven years older than the middle brother, Aiden.
While the brothers are separated by age, the COVID-19 pandemic united them and ultimately was responsible for the band’s formation.
“Connor had just moved back from Boston and was ready to move downtown. By chance, he was quarantined in our house for three or four months because of quarantine. That was when the boys started playing together in the backyard when the spring came,” Katherine said. “It probably would never have happened without COVID because they were all going in different directions.”
Adler’s dad, Richard, said the brothers work on new music together, regardless of who is home.
“Even when there’s just two at home, they’re generally trying out new songs, playing and just having fun,” Richard said.
Patrick said that constantly working on music has strengthened the bond between his brothers.
“We’re texting back and forth daily, sending new recordings that we have or new song ideas or lyrics. Whenever we call each other, we’re always talking about music; we’ve grown closer because of it,” Patrick said.
Patrick’s musical talents have also been shared with the golf team.
Head coach Steve Bailey has put Patrick in the spotlight several times, including at last year’s alumni event in Florida.
“We’re down in Florida for our alumni match last year, and we’re at a restaurant where they had some live music,” Bailey said. “We said we have an up-and-comer trying to make a name for himself and asked if we could get him a little time on the mic. He got to play a little jam in front of all our golf alums and the team and got some good cheers.”
Patrick said he will never forget his impromptu performance at the alumni event.
“I got up and sang ‘Dead Flowers’ by The Rolling Stones,” Adler said. “It was nerve-wracking because, at that point, I still hadn’t played many live shows, so I hadn’t performed in front of many people before. It did get me out of my shell, and maybe I gained a little respect from the alumni.”
While nervousness is inevitable when performing, Patrick said that Bailey has challenged him to channel that feeling on the greens.
“You’re always uncomfortable on the golf course. When you’re put in big moments, you will be uncomfortable,” Adler said. “Grab a hold of that and use it to your advantage. Coach also talks about putting yourself in those types of situations. I never realized why he kept asking me to sing in front of many people to make me uncomfortable, but it’s relatable to golf.”
Bailey said it is important for the team’s chemistry to embrace each other’s hobbies, including Patrick’s singing.
“We have other interests outside of the game, and it’s healthy for us to connect,” Bailey said. “Whether it’s playing cornhole, shooting hoops, or using the ping pong table we put in the locker room, it’s fun outside of golf to keep the guys competitive and on top of what we do in practice. These are things you do as friends, too. We build those relationships and friendships through little healthy competition.”
The Adler Brothers can be listened to on all major streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music.
This story was written by Trevor Hilson. He can be reached at [email protected] or @hilsontrevor on Twitter.
