The Starlight Drifters formed in the winter of 1997. They immediately began working and recording as a four piece Rockabilly, Western Swing and Honky Tonk outfit in the Detroit area. The Original line up, sans drums, featured Bill Alton - vocal; Chris Casello - Guitar, Steel; Kenny Bruce - Bass fiddle; and Chris Neel - Acoustic guitar.

Right from the starting gate the group found themselves opening for all the top acts in both their field and the burgeoning swing scene. Playing clubs and festivals all over Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio with the likes of Big Sandy, Deke Dickerson, Robert Gordon, Jason D Williams, BR549, Mighty Blue Kings, Sleepy Labeef, Wayne Hancock, Johnny Dilks, Link Wray, to name just a few, the Drifters often could be found jamming with and sharing the stage with many of these artists.

1998 brought the release of their first EP Presenting The Starlight Drifters to national rave reviews (Blue Suede News placed them in the "Top five of swingin' 90's Honky tonk acts") and expanded their playing area to farther south and west. Member changes brought in Swingin' Demon's bass man Rudy Varner, Toledo blues legend drummer Marc Gray and Acoustic Guitar man Mike Thompson. This stellar lineup caught the ear of Rock icon Jack Scott ("The Way I Walk," "What In The World's Come Over You") who promptly signed them up as a backing band for the next year and a half.

Their first record also sparked the interest of rockabilly record mogul Rockin' Ronny Weiser, founder of Rolling Rock Records, the only label supporting rockabilly from the seventies to the present and responsible for recording such acts as Gene Vincent, The Blasters, Narvel Felts, Ray Campi, Billy Zoom, Mac Curtis, Alvis Wayne etc...Etc! Located in Las Vegas, it would be a year before the Starlight Drifters and Ronny would meet.

In the meantime The Starlight Drifters released Every Note a Pearl, a strong, exciting full length CD that garnered airplay from Austin to Australia and caught the ears of national as well as international press and radio. They even made the charts in Austin's 3CM World Radio charts, outshining many established acts. Boston's national publication Country Standard Time rated them in the 20 runners-up for ALL 2000 country releases! Meanwhile they were nominated for best group in the Jazz category for Detroit's music awards the same year.

The year 2000 also found Starlight Drifters music in two major motion pictures: Net Worth, starring Daniel Baldwin, and Drive-in slasher flick The Stepdaughter. The boys also performed for the Presley estate at the opening of the Elvis exhibit at the Rock'n'roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and toured from Memphis to NYC.

With a new lineup featuring drummer Billy Mack and Bassist Dave Roof the SLDs hit the road touring from Michigan through the Northwest, West Coast, Southwest, South and Midwest stopping in Las Vegas to cut their first Rollin' Rock release 13 To Go produced by Ronny Weiser.

In 2001 with a new record and yet another rhythm section (this time including dream drummer Mike Kissick), the Starlight Drifters found their records being played on WSM in Nashville and at Robert's Western World, home of BR549, where they now have become semi-regulars. The group appeared live on WSM Opry Spotlight and the famed syndicated Billy Block Show. Nashville is quickly becoming a second home to the Motor City rebels. The year's end was celebrated with New Years Eve in Indianapolis backing the great Billy Lee Riley, and they are currently working with Sun recording artist Johnny Powers on a new album.

In 2006 the Drifters, now featuring Mark Winchester and Jimmy Lester, have the extreme honor of tearing it up at the best honky-tonk in the universe, Robert's Western World in Nashville, Tennessee !!