Tripped Over Betsy

A guitar pick dropped on the floor and Tripped Over Betsy was formed; originally, as an acoustic duet of Jay DeMartino and John Miller in Pittsburgh, PA in 1997, shortly after John and Jay met and realized they both had a love for music. The name came from when one time John was walking home from a party in North Oakland, Pittsburgh and slipped on some snow and tripped over his friend Betsy. He yelled to his other friends to wait up because he just "Tripped Over Betsy". One of his other friends Lisa said, "hey that sounds like the name of a band!" ...and so the name stuck. The duo began playing regular gigs at coffee houses in Pittsburgh's South Side with friend and fellow singer songwriter Andy Allen. As time progressed Jay and John felt as though they needed something more, so they added the keyboard skills, vocals, and Latin percussion of Corey Culton in 1998. The trio continued to play regularly in the South Side at Java River and Cafe' Au Lait as well as randomly on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh including a gig on WPTS (Pitt Radio) that was arranged by their friend Jay Culbertson. In 1999 Jay and John decided it was time to take TOB out of the coffee shops of the South Side that had treated them so well and broaden their horizons a bit. In order to do this though, they would need a bass player and a drummer. This is where they met Dave Swendsen, who not only brought is great ear for music and flowing bass lines but also a drummer in Mark Davis. The 5 of them began rehearsing regularly in the basement of the original trio's run down home by the railroad tracks (no lie here...by the tracks!) that they rented from an insane Chinese lady. Later that year after several months of rehearsing, the guys of TOB asked their good friend Kelly Crawshaw to be their manager. Through Kelly the band got to know Mike Butkovic of the Pittsburgh band "The Simpletons" (also later of "The Attendants"). Mike offered to record the band's first and only CD. A demo consisting of three songs that were new rocked-up versions of favorites of the regulars who attended their old coffee shop gigs (How Heidi Likes It, Unfortunate Tragedy, & Shrouds of Fear) as well as one new song written by Jay entitled "Ember". Tripped Over Betsy lasted until August of 2001 when they broke reluctantly but understandingly on good terms. All members of Tripped Over Betsy, with the exception of Mark Davis remain good friends and keep in contact regularly. (if anyone knows where Mark is, tell him we said hi!) Dave and John remain roommates and now live in San Diego, CA where they still play music regularly, together and separately. They are currently recording some of John's new songs with Mike Butkovic again, who now lives in LA. Jay is working as an engineer in New Jersey and is engaged with a wonderful girl and Corey is now taking it easy in Harrisburg, PA.