Betsy Ade & The Well-Known Strangers’ “Standing By” Named June “Best Song Of The Month”

Betsy Ade & The Well-Known Strangers, a pop/folk/rock band based in Kenosha, Wisconsin which is led by Betsy Ade and Joe Adamek, has won the SongwriterUniverse “Best Song Of The Month” Contest for June, for their song, “Standing By.” This song is included on their latest album, Dawn, which they independently released in February (2025).

“Standing By” is a well-written, folk/pop song that has a positive lyric theme, an appealing melody and a strong chorus. The song starts with an ethereal music intro, followed by a propulsive, uptempo arrangement. “Standing By” features expressive lead vocals by Betsy Ade, and she adds background vocals that add emotion in the chorus. This recording was expertly produced by Adamek & Ade in Racine, WI.

Ade & The Well-Known Strangers consists of six musicians who have played in different bands in the Midwest, and are part of the regional music community. Ade is the lead vocalist and plays ukulele, and Adamek plays lead & rhythm guitar. The other members are Katie Todd (piano, keyboards & backing vocals), Scott Fox (drums), Ryan Andersen (cello) and John Kulas (bass).

Notably, Ade is known for being an excellent, soulful lead singer. She auditioned for season 16 of The Voice in 2019, and she made the Top 16 and received TV exposure.

Over the past decade, Ade & The Well-Known Strangers has released a solid body of work. In 2016, they released their album, Aligned, followed by two EPs in 2018: Path Away, and Splinter (which was more acoustic). Then in 2021 they released the EP, Awaken, and in 2025 they released their album, Dawn.

With their song “Standing By,” Ade wrote the lyrics, and Adamek helped write the music, with all the band members contributing to the songwriting.

Currently, the band is promoting their album, Dawn, and playing live shows in the Midwest and in other regions. Interestingly, in 2022 they embarked on a concert tour of England and Scotland, and their video for “Standing By” includes footage of their shows in Scotland. Also, in 2021 the group performed on Melissa Etheridge’s cruise ship tour in the Caribbean, which included Nancy Wilson of Heart and KT Tunstall.