For Grace Potter, St. Lawrence played an essential role in her musical career.  “St. Lawrence has definitely affected my career because that’s where I met my band!” she explains.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals describe themselves as a “spirited and inventive blend of blues, Americana and rock n' roll.”  The band began at St. Lawrence in the fall of 2002, when Grace met Matt Burr, drummer and percussionist.  Their sounds came together and they began to create original material. Then Scott Tournet, now the lead guitarist who also plays the harmonica and often does vocals, too, entered the picture in the fall of 2003.   They recorded their debut album, Original Soul, in 2003 while they were still attending St. Lawrence.  When the group returned to Vermont in 2004, bassist Bryan Dondero joined the group and helped make the band as successful as it is today.

“Being at St. Lawrence helped me hone in on what I was most excited about, which turned out to be music,” Grace says.  “I played a lot as a solo performer before I arrived at St. Lawrence, but when I met [Burr, Tournet and Dondero], it taught me how truly exciting being on stage with a band can be.  I credit the coffee house for many of those magical evenings.”

Some of Grace’s fondest memories are when her parents, Richard ’70 and Margaret Sparks Potter ’73, returned to their alma mater to visit her.  “I liked hearing their crazy old stories.  I felt like me being at St. Lawrence was completing their book,” she says.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have played in shows all over the country and with big names like Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples and Trey Anastasio.  What does she hope for in the future?  “I want to put out a great American rock and roll album,” she says.  “Music can make a difference in the world, and I want to be a part of that revolution.”