THE HIPOCRATS

What do an Ultrarunner, a mermaid, a kid from Kansas, and a future mall Santa have in common? Not a-heck-of-a-lot to be honest, but they do share something that collectively defines them all much more significantly than any other label ever could.  They are all “Hipocrats”. 

What is a Hipocrat you ask? 

Well, there are a few ways to answer that question. Entirely unlike and not to be confused for a “hypocrite” (or someone who contradicts their proclaimed morals) a “Hipocrat” is the opposite of a hypocrite. It can be simply defined as anyone who is “unapologetically true to themselves”. They are the type of people who don’t get bogged down by stereotypes and diverge from mindlessly appealing to the pressures of fitting in. Hipocrats lean into what makes them unique and thrive in the unconventional. For Sarah Brunner, Ruth Navarre, Chris Defalco, and Tyler McGinnis (the four original members of the band “The Hipocrats”) being a Hipocrat comes as naturally as their ability to create and perform mind-blowingly amazing music– and it is what sets them apart from your other run-of-the-mill americana bands. 

“When Sarah and I were first starting the band, our primary intention was to bring together a group of individuals above all else… Sure, we wanted to create a great sound, but cultivating unique and irreplaceable friendships with our members was the intended foundation that the band would inevitably be built upon” – Tyler McGinnis 

Let’s meet The Band, shall we?

First up, we have our Ultrarunner – Sarah Brunner (Guitar & Vocals)

You can’t spell “Brunner” without “runner”. While that may be true, it’s actually pronounced [brew-ner] not [Bruh-ner]. When she isn’t casually running farther in a single afternoon than most people drive for their work commute in an entire week; you can find her lounging around in her favorite pastel sweatsuit, blasting ABBA, and painting lamps… Usually, all at once. 

Next, we have our Mermaid – Ruth Navarre (Fiddle & Vocal Harmonies)

Truly One-Of-A-Kind, Ruth brings her siren song to the stage and transfixes the audience with the flick of her bow and the flip of her hair. Quite literally the smartest person in any room she walks into, Ruth spends her time Crocheting dog sweaters, making subtlety-seductive behind the scenes videos for her mermaid persona, and (for some unknown reason) living in West Seattle. 

Our kid from Kansas is none other than – Chris Defalco (aka CAD, aka The Kansas Saint of Slap) (Bass Guitar)

CAD, known for being the older brother of one of Witchita, Kansas’ most underrated hot guys, is the holy hunk that lays down the groove like no one else. This bonafide Red Dirt aficionado helps balance out the group with his cool demeaner and clever quips. He’s also the only member of the band who isn’t single (sorry ladies).

Finally, we have our Future Mall Santa – Tyler McGinnis (Guitar & Vocals)

Bald, bearded, & blessed with an unusual abundance of body hair – Tyler would be a poster child for bears if he ever decided to question his sexuality.  When he isn’t busy not shaving, you have a good chance of bumping into him at your favorite thrift store looking for anything he can sell online so he doesn’t have to get a real job. He also has a dog named Joplin who loves clams. 

Where did the name “The Hipocrats” come from?

We coined the term after struggling to find a name for the band. One day we were shuffling through a Greek philosophy book and came across Hippocrates - the father of modern medicine. Instantly, we knew we were on to something. We believe that music is the ultimate medicine. It can heal the mind, heart, and soul in ways that traditional scientific medicine cannot. Couple that with the definition we created for what a hipocrat is “unabashedly oneself”, and the name just seemed perfect. Our goal is to help heal the world with our music all while staying true to who we are. 

About the Music:

Based out of Seattle, WA, The Hipocrats are an Americana daydream that blend hair-raising harmonies over melodies sure to stick in your head for days. Their spunky lyrical imagery, and mood-bending fiddle parts don’t discriminate who’s ears they choose to captivate with their sound. Fans of all genres of music will find something to appreciate with their striking spin on classic Americana music – truly a can't miss when they're passing through your town.

Drawing inspiration from real-life scenarios with a healthy balance of imaginative liberties, the close friends began an ambitious and energetic songwriting campaign in the fall of 2021. Their whimsical personalities and close bond are on full display every time the four of them take the stage. Only one year after its creation, the Hipocrats are now a force to be reckoned with. Tyler McGinnis (Guitar & Vocals), Sarah Brunner (Guitar & Vocals), Ruth Navarre (Fiddle & Vocal Harmonies) and Chris DeFalco (Bass Guitar) have each contributed their stellar musicianship and natural born talents to give The Hipocrats all the elements needed to be the biggest Americana band that comes out of the Emerald city since The Head & The Heart. 

The Hipocrats new single "The Breeze" and debut EP "Road to Joy" are out now on all platforms! Tyler, Sarah and Ruth have just wrapped up their Road to Joy National Tour that amounted to 90 shows in 26 different states including the legendary Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, The Saxon Pub in Austin, and came to an end at The Tractor Tavern in their home city of Seattle where they opened for Nashville powerhouse and Grammy nominated artist Will Hoge. Head to www.thehipocrats.com/shows for future show dates! 

What have you done so far?

Well, in our first year of existence we:

-Formed the band

-Wrote an entire EP in less than a month

-Played enough shows to entirely fund the cost of the EP

-Planned a 5 month national tour before having a single song out in the world

-Bought and renovated a trailer to tour in (also with funds from playing shows)

-Recorded, mixed, & mastered the EP

-Released the EP “Road to Joy” (streaming everywhere now) which kickstarted our 5 month national “Road to Joy tour”

-Left on our “Road to Joy Tour” that spanned 26 states and 90 shows

-Cut a single in Nashville, half-way through the tour

-Finished the tour and released our single “The Breeze” (streaming everywhere now) the night of our homecoming show 

-And on the 7th day the Hipocrats Rested

Holy smokes you did that in just one year! What’s next for 2023?

-Keep writing

-Keep playing shows and do more short-term touring (especially in Washington, we love Washington, it’s our home, we love our home)

-Keep meeting new friends and collaborators.

-Festivals? :)

-Cut a new single

-Make a music video for the single

-Release the single

-Play even more shows

-Write even more songs

-Have a surplus of songs to put together our first full-length album

-Record, mix, & master the album

-Release the Album

-Another multi state tour to follow the album release

-Come back home

-Do it all again in 2024 :)

We are reminded every day how lucky we are to be doing what we love. The fact of the matter is, we are more motivated than ever to share our music with as many people and places that we can. Life is too short to rest on our laurels and we still have so far to go in our constant pursuit of our dreams. 

A note to our family, friends, and fans:

We cant do what we do if it weren’t for you all. You are the wind to our sails and keep us humbled yet so very proud to be musical artists. Your continued support means the world to us and have kept our hearts full of hope through every twist and turn along our journey. We cant wait to share all the new exciting music that we are working on with you all. Keep listening, liking, following, and sharing – and we promise to keep writing, recording, releasing, and performing! For anyone who likes our music and feels inspired to go the extra mile in supporting us – Sign up for our mailing list, follow us on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook and we also have a Patreon that you can sign up for with multiple tiers offered that offer tons of exclusive content, merchandise, and so much more! 

   With all the love, 

-The Hipocrats