Gibson Brothers to perform at American Legion
California, MD – Another Brother act in Bluegrass music headlines the second concert in the American Legion Bluegrass series. It’s the famous Gibson Brothers. The concert will be on Sunday Dec. 4, at the American Legion Post 238 on the corner of Route 381 and Route 231 in Hughesville, MD.
Since childhood, Eric and Leigh Gibson’s guiding stars have been songs recorded by music’s greatest brother duos: the Monroe’s, the Louvin’s, and the Everly’s, whose close harmonies have captivated listeners for decades. Older brother, Eric elaborates: “We love that tradition of brothers singing together, and to pay tribute to that shows people where our hearts are.”
There latest recording titled, “Brotherhood”, Eric and Leigh chose fifteen songs from country, bluegrass, and early rock ‘n’ roll brother acts.The track listing reflects nearly a century of American music history, from “The Eastbound Train,” a parlor tune with roots that can be traced back to the 1890s, to “It’ll Be Her,” a Top 20 single released by Tompall and the Glaser Brothers in 1982. This is the music the Gibson’s grew up with on the family dairy farm in Ellenburg Depot, a tiny town in upstate New York that was closer to the Canadian border than it was to a record store.
“Brotherhood” is the title of the Gibson’s’ twelfth album since their 1993 debut. 20 years on, Eric and Leigh have matured considerably as musicians, writers and performers, causing an ever-growing legion of bluegrass fans to take notice and garnering impressive amounts of critical acclaim: not only did the band win IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year Award in 2012 and 2013, but the organization presented Eric with the prestigious Songwriter of the Year Award last year as well. The Gibson Brothers have come into their own, combining their wide-ranging influences – live shows are often peppered with a variety of covers ranging from Buck Owens to Tom Petty – into a unique style that honors tradition while still sounding refreshingly new.
The newest member of the Gibson Brothers band is the award-winning mandolin player and vocalist, Jesse Brock. He joined them in late 2012. The lineup of the band has never sounded tighter. Fiddler Clayton Campbell has been with the band for a decade and bassist Mike Barber has played with Leigh and Eric for so long that he’s affectionately known as the third Gibson Brother. While their stunning harmonies capture most of the fan and critical attention, Eric and Leigh are also accomplished musicians, playing banjo and guitar, respectively.
As well as the Gibson’s latest album, “Brotherhood”, there live show will also feature songs that listeners will immediately recognize. Like material sung by familiar names such as Phil and Don Everly (“Bye Bye Love” and “Crying in the Rain”), Charlie and Ira Louvin (“Seven Year Blues”), Jim and Jesse McReynolds (“Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes”), and Carter and Ralph Stanley (“How Mountain Girls Can Love”), but “Brotherhood” includes covers of songs recorded by some lesser-known acts as well, including The Blue Sky Boys (“The Sweetest Gift”), The York Brothers (“Long Gone”), and The Church Brothers (“Angel with Blue Eyes”). These are duos whose harmonies fit together so tightly that you can’t tell where one voice stops and the other begins. The concept of families singing together is a tradition that stretches back through the history of folk music, and with 20 years of professional musicianship behind them, the Gibson Brothers, using those groups as a compass, have established themselves as proud keepers of that musical heritage.
Tickets for the American Legion Bluegrass concert for Sunday, Dec. 4 are $20 per person. Children under 12 are admitted free with a paid adult. You can purchase tickets by mail by sending a check made payable to “Jay Armsworthy” and mail to P.O. Box 741, California, MD 20619. Tickets will be held at the door.
The remainder of the series features an award winning “all-star” lineup to include The Lonesome River Band on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017; Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017; Sideline Bluegrass Band on Sunday, April 2, 2017; and The Grascals on Sunday, April 30, 2017. Troy Jones will provide sound for each show.
All shows begin at 2 p.m. with the doors opening at Noon. Fried chicken or pulled pork platters to include Cole slaw and French fries will be available for sale before the shows by the Sons of the American Legion. Although it is not a requirement, you are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the Helping Hands Food Bank in Southern Maryland. For more information, tickets, and directions, go to www.americanlegionbluegrass.com or call 301-737-3004.