Three songwriters · one harmony · together since 2008
Rich Price, Greg Naughton and Brian Chartrand — three solo songwriters who met by chance, found a vocal blend none of them could get anywhere else, and have spent seventeen years chasing it across two continents. Five albums, 400+ shows, and a film about how it happened.
The story
In 2008 three touring solo artists — Rich from Vermont, Greg from New York, Brian from Phoenix — ended up in the same Rhode Island hotel room with guitars out. What came off that first jam was a blend and a kinship strong enough to survive geography and three separate careers.
They wrote and recorded in the gaps between solo tours, meeting at a small home studio in Los Angeles whenever all three could get there. They played the tracks for producer and mixer Andy Zulla (Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart), who joined the project outright, and the debut Laurel & Sunset was out a few months later. Zulla has been behind the desk for most of what followed, including Night Songs and 2024’s Embers.
Seventeen years on, the arrangement hasn’t changed much: three writers, three lead voices, and a harmony that reviewers keep reaching for Crosby, Stills & Nash and Simon & Garfunkel to describe.
The trio
01
Burlington, Vermont
Signed first to RCA, then to Geffen for his 2004 major-label debut. His song “I’m On My Way” landed on the multi-platinum Shrek 2 soundtrack, and he has written for film and television alongside a run of solo records.
02
New York City
Songwriter, actor, and the writer-director of The Independents. His indie debut Demagogue & The Sun Songs was co-produced by the late Grammy winner Phoebe Snow, and he has played rooms from New York’s grittiest clubs to the East Room of the White House.
03
Phoenix, Arizona
Co-founder and the trio’s third voice. Creator and narrator of Live from Laurel Canyon, front man of Ten Dollar Outfit, and a solo writer with a catalog of his own and 1,400+ shows across the US and Europe.
Full biographies at thesweetremains.com/bio.
The records
Newest first. Every record built the same way — three writers bringing songs, all three singing.
Ten new songs produced by longtime collaborator and Grammy winner Andy Zulla. Standouts: “When The World Slowed Down,” “Pedestal,” “Don’t Count Me Out,” and the title track “Ember.”
The fourth studio album — written and tracked across three time zones.
Third studio album, also produced by Andy Zulla. “Crumble,” “Stop The Night,” “I’m Gonna Wait.”
The sophomore record, named for the corner where two of the three grew up playing.
The debut — cut in a small Los Angeles home studio between three solo tours. “What I’m Looking For” went on to soundtrack a Subaru campaign.
On screen
Greg wrote and directed a feature film about three solo musicians who meet at a crossroads and discover harmony — and cast the band as the band. It was shot over several years between tours, the soundtrack is wall-to-wall Sweet Remains originals, and Richard Kind plays their manager. Cameos from James Naughton, Kelli O’Hara, Boyd Gaines, Chris Sullivan and George Wendt.
It premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and took the jury prize for Best Feature Film at the Omaha Film Festival, with festival runs through Dallas, deadCenter, Naples, the Virginia Film Festival and Folk Alliance International — often with the band playing live after the credits rolled.
On the road
From Burlington living rooms and the Canal Room in Tribeca to Blue Note Dresden, Swiss listening rooms and Black Forest wine towns — 407 shows in 217 cities across 10 countries, January 2009 through today. Every one of them is in the archive on this site.
What they said
“It’s been a long time since 3-part harmonies this lush were yoked to songs this melodically gorgeous.”
Boston Herald
“It is their lush harmonies that distinguish TSR and harken back to super-groups like Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Eagles, and Simon & Garfunkel.”
Fitchburg State CenterStage
“An extremely engaging film. An unconventional and sharply written script which subverts all the clichés of the star-is-born story.”
The Hollywood Reporter, on The Independents
“A warm and welcoming celebration of music… the musical numbers are frequent and fabulous.”
Los Angeles Times, on The Independents
Good to know
The Sweet Remains are a three-part-harmony folk-rock trio made up of songwriters Rich Price, Greg Naughton, and Brian Chartrand. Each was already touring as a solo artist when they met; the band has since released five studio albums and played more than 400 shows across the US and Europe.
The three met by chance at a jam session in a Rhode Island hotel room in 2008 and recognised a vocal blend worth keeping. They began writing and recording between solo tours at a small home studio in Los Angeles, brought in producer Andy Zulla (Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart), and released their debut, Laurel & Sunset, a few months later.
Embers, released in 2024 — ten new songs produced by Andy Zulla, including “When The World Slowed Down,” “Pedestal,” “Don’t Count Me Out,” and the title track “Ember.” It is on Spotify, Apple Music, and at thesweetremains.com.
The Independents is an award-winning feature film written and directed by band member Greg Naughton, starring all three members as three solo artists who meet at a crossroads and find harmony. It premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and won the jury prize for Best Feature at the Omaha Film Festival. It streams free on Tubi and is available on Amazon.
Booking is handled by Trip Brown at Universal Attractions Agency — trip@universalattractions.com. Tour dates and contact details are at thesweetremains.com.
Everything else — tour dates, the full catalog, video, photos, chords & lyrics and merch — lives at thesweetremains.com. Booking: Trip Brown at Universal Attractions.
Stay close
New shows, new songs, no noise. A short note when there’s something worth hearing.
Book a show
Booking Brian, his trio, or Live from Laurel Canyon — for venues, festivals, weddings and private events.
Contact & booking