ELLIOTT SHAFFER
Lead Vocals, Piano, Keyboards
Hometown: Glendale, CA
Influences: Train, Matchbox 20, Maroon 5
Elliott lives in two worlds. One is the physical reality we all inhabit; the other exists entirely in his head—a landscape where ideas, songs, and sounds fill every corner. For as long as he can remember, he’s been trying to bring those two worlds together. Raised in Glendale by entertainers who turned childhood into an adventure, Elliott’s early years were spent in parks, on beaches, and in the common areas of The Grove. It was an idyllic life, but eventually, Elliott needed to carve his own path.
Though he was a natural at acting and film, music was the calling he couldn't ignore. After two years of chasing a media composition degree in LA—scoring other people’s visions while neglecting his own—burnout set in. Seeking a fresh start, he transferred to New York, craving hot coffee and winter clothes. After connecting with Cash Dixon online and sparking a digital friendship with Della Reese, Elliott finally moved into a house just a block from campus. For the first time, the "real world" is starting to sound like the music in his head.
Click Photo to Hear Songs Featuring Elliot
DELLA REESE
Piano, Lead Vocals
Hometown: Seattle, WA / Cape Town, SA
Influences: Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Donna Summer
Della is a long way from home, but that suits her; lately, she isn't quite sure where "home" is. Born in Cape Town and raised in the tech-forward bustle of Seattle by two surgeons, her upbringing was a blend of high expectations and a rich soundtrack of soul and traditional African music. By the end of her sophomore year as a pre-med student, however, the pressure led to a breaking point.
A soul-searching hiatus in South Africa changed everything. Working at an AIDS hospice in Cape Town, Della rediscovered her pulse—and her voice. It was during this time she met Elliott on a music-sharing site. Their long-distance songwriting collaboration became her lifeline. When spring arrived, she traded her stethoscope for a piano bench, transferring to New York to live across the street from Elliott. Now, she isn’t just finding her roots; she’s planting new ones.
Click Photo to Hear Songs Featuring Della
CASH DIXON
Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitars
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Influences: Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell
The son of legendary Nashville songwriter James “JD” Dixon, Cash grew up in the shadow of the industry. He spent his childhood on tour buses, falling asleep to the hum of a diesel engine and the smell of the road. For years, he wanted to be just like his father—until he saw the toll the lifestyle took on his family. When his mother finally left JD, Cash was forced to see the "business" for what it really was: a cycle of broken promises.
He moved to New York to pursue a life that wouldn't destroy the family he hoped to one day have, leaving his guitar in its case. But talent is a hard thing to outrun. After renting a house with Elliott, the music found its way back into his life. Cash is writing again, and his songs are already turning heads back in Nashville. This time, however, he’s doing it on his own terms, determined to prove that you can find success without losing your soul.
Click Photo To Hear Songs Featuring Cash
JANE SUMMERS
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Ukulele
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Influences: Colbie Caillat, Kacey Musgraves, Lizzy McAlpine
An only child raised raises as the youngest of the "Three Musketeers"—herself and her parents—Jane grew up in the space between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Outer Banks. Her sound is a direct reflection of that geography: earthy, eclectic, and covered in wispy, bohemian vocals. To her parents, music was a lovely hobby, but college was meant for a "predictable" career.
Jane is currently living a double life. While her parents believe she is on a straight path to a stable income, she is actually spending her nights across the street, building a future with The Graduates. She knows that if her secret gets out, the support will vanish and she’ll be forced back to Raleigh. But for the first time in her life, Jane isn't a lonely only child; she’s found a tribe, and she’ll do whatever it takes to keep from being pulled away.
Click Photo To Hear Songs Featuring Jane
JACKSON “SOUP” CAMPBELL
Vocals, Background Vocals (Guitar Student)
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Influences: Mostly Baseball Stuff
Until recently, the world of Jackson "Soup" Campbell was defined by three pillars: God, family, and a 100mph fastball. A D1 pitching prospect in New York, Soup was on the fast track to the majors until a devastating arm injury during his sophomore year brought it all to a screeching stop. Losing his scholarship and his identity in one fell swoop, he couldn't bring himself to go home and face the disappointment.
He ended up living in a converted closet in Cash and Elliott’s house, a ghost in the hallway who kept his struggles to himself. That changed one night when he overheard the band rehearsing and began to sing along. The raw power of his voice stunned everyone in the room—especially Elliott’s sister, Mabel. Soup may have lost his arm, but he’s discovering a voice he never knew he had, proving that sometimes you have to lose your dream to find your destiny.
Click Photo To Hear Songs Featuring Jackson
MABEL SHAFFER
Vocals, Mandolin, Fiddle
Hometown: Glendale, CA
Influences: The Chicks, Chris Thile, Nickel Creek
While her brother Elliott is the anchor, Mabel is the wind. Raised in the same Glendale home, Mabel grew up with her head in the clouds, walking barefoot. and dreaming of horses. When she was forced to pick up an instrument in sixth grade, she chose the mandolin simply because it fit in her backpack. She later taught herself the fiddle by ear, possessing a raw, effortless talent that Elliott always envied.
When Elliott left for New York, Mabel felt adrift. Sensing her aimlessness, Elliott convinced her to finish her senior year online and move into the house across the street from him. Now the youngest member of the group, she has become the "secret sauce" of The Graduates’ sound. She’s also navigating a secret, complicated crush on Soup—the quiet athlete who has no idea that the girl with the fiddle is the one truly watching out for him.
Click Photo To Hear Songs Featuring Mabel