The Exoneree Band: How a group of wrongfully convicted men found their voice through music
(InvestigateTV) — They don’t have the fame of The Beatles or the fortune of The Rolling Stones, but the members of The Exonerated band share something far more profound.
They are a group of men who spent years, and in some cases decades, of their lives behind bars for heinous crimes they did not commit.
Now, as free men, they are using the power of music to heal, to tell their stories, and to build a brotherhood unlike any other.
The band was born out of the Innocence Network’s annual conference, a gathering that brings together wrongfully convicted people from across the country.
In 2011, this group of musically inclined exonerees found each other, and what started as a jam session quickly turned into something more.
“It turned into a really nice brotherhood of guys who were not only musicians but had went through the same thing of being wrongfully convicted,” one band member recalls.
Living in different parts of the country, they come together to create a sound that is both a celebration of their freedom and a testament to their resilience. Their music is a form of therapy, a way to process the unimaginable trauma of being stripped of their lives and liberty.
“For me, it’s kind of like a therapy thing,” says one member. “Getting to share my story through music.”
Each member carries the weight of a story that would break most people.
Ted Bradford and his bandmate Eddie Lowry were both wrongly convicted of rape.
“I just couldn’t believe that they were accusing me of this, something that I could never do,” Bradford says.
Donovan Allen was convicted of murdering his own mother, a crime that stole his youth and his freedom.
“My mother was killed exactly one week before my 19th birthday,” he shares. “And from the age of 19 to almost 35, I was inside.”
Collectively, they lost decades of their lives before DNA evidence finally cleared their names. While they are grateful for their freedom, the scars of their time in prison run deep.
“No one deserves to see the things that I’ve been forced to see,” says one member.
It’s a burden that could understandably make them want to leave the past behind. But instead, they choose to amplify their stories, to turn their pain into a powerful message of hope and resilience.
“It’s an emotional release for us, and it’s healing,” they say. “When we’re up on the stage, it’s a healing for us and for our community.”
Their setlist is a mix of cover songs, often with a twist to reflect their unique journey, and deeply personal original music.
Fellow exoneree Amanda Knox has joined them on stage for a special rendition of “I Will Survive,” a song that takes on a whole new meaning when sung by those who have truly overcome the impossible.
But it’s their original songs that carry the most weight.
One member wrote a song called “My Cell,” a raw and honest account of life in a small prison cell. He recalls listening to music on headphones in his cell, dreaming of being on stage.
“And it’s finally happening,” he says with a smile.
At a recent performance for a packed house of Innocence Network members, Ted Bradford debuted a new song, “Innocent Man.”
It’s a powerful and emotional plea for justice, with a chorus that cries out, “Lord, why don’t you shine your light on me? Reveal the truth and help them see, for you know the truth will set you free.”
The Exonerated may never achieve mainstream fame, but that’s not their goal.
They have found something far more valuable.
Brotherhood. Purpose. Voice.
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