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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 13, 2006 The Earl Brothers Pushing the genre of bluegrass music The Earl Brothers bring original material to traditional mountain music A bluegrass revival has emerged over the past decade or so, and musicians have breathed new life into the roots music of the United States with styles that are described as honky-tonk bluegrass, hillbilly gothic or neo-traditional. The Earl Brothers are among those groups that have championed traditional mountain music. With a "less is more" approach, the four-piece string band is blazing its own trail among today's notable bluegrass bands. The Earl Brothers will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at the Williams Grange, 20100 Williams Highway, Williams. A Stitch in Time Bluegrass Band will open the show. The group has two CDs to its credit. "Whiskey, Women and Death" was released in 2004 and "Troubles to Blame" was released in January 2006. John McKelvy, the group's guitarist, says things are good. Advertisement "We exclusively use CD Baby to market them," says McKelvy, referring to the online independent CD distributor based in Portland. "The first one, 'Whiskey, Women, and Death,' is the fifth best-selling country album on the Web site, and we get a lot of air play for our music on XM Satellite Radio." The Earl Brothers' music is centered around the songwriting skills of Bobby Earl Davis (banjo) and McKelvy. Davis was born and raised in Richmond, Va., where he was introduced to the banjo by his grandmother. He played in a local band, made appearances on a Sunday night television show that aired in Richmond and eventually played at a festival in nearby Berryville, where he performed along with Bill Monroe and Carter and Ralph Stanley. McKelvy grew up in Florida and met Davis in 1996 in Richmond, and the two began to develop The Earl Brothers' original sound. Larry Hughes (mandolin) and Rob Mellberg (bass) fill out the group, and they are now based in Northern California and play at clubs and festivals around the country. "We performed in August at the Pickathon Roots Music Festival in Portland, and we'll be making two stops in Oregon on our way to shows in Vancouver, B.C.," McKelvy says. "Then we fly down to the Austin String Band Festival in Texas." The group presents strong, original instrumentals and lyrics that are faithful to the music traditions of the 1940s and 1950s, and Davis' and McKelvy's harmonizing vocals are reminiscent of The Stanley Brothers' hit songs of that era. But The Earl Brothers have a sound that pushes the genre of bluegrass music. Visit www.earlbrothers.com for music samples. According to a review by the Oregon Bluegrass Association based in Portland, "The Earl Brothers won't be mistaken for any other band; their original sound jumps out and grabs the listener." The show at the Williams Grange will be open to all ages. Admission is $10; free for ages 12 and younger. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com