Derek is Sugarcane's mandolin player, vocalist and contributing songwriter. He began playing the mandolin in the late 1990's while living in Bend, Oregon and played with the local group Stumbleweed for a few years before going to graduate school and then relocating to Portland, OR. Derek's musical inspiration stems from two decades of attending concerts and listening to a wide variety of music from Bill Monroe to Dave Brubeck. Derek is a new dad and makes his living promoting sustainable transportation in Portland.