Bluegrass music has generated its share of truly clever comedy over the years. From the earliest days, it was common to include a comedian on stage shows by Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and The Stanley Brothers. Anyone who saw Melvin Goins doing his Big Wilbur routine back in the day is bound to chuckle at the thought, and the ’80s brought us Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers as a Hot Rize alter ego.
And don’t forget the hilarious ride that Wichita Rutherford had in the aughts.
Here in 2020, we can enjoy The Cleverly’s – whenever live concerts begin again – along with several bluegrass groups that feature comedy segments.
But surely the wittiest and most deeply, riotously funny act I have ever seen emerging from our world has been The Darrell Brothers, conceived and executed by a pair of Nashville grassers, Ashby Frank and Brandon Bostic. Posing as a pair of hillbilly brothers, acting out nearly every stereotype ever assigned to rural and mountain folks, they turned the cliches into comedy gold in a series of music videos and podcasts.
Inside humor to be sure, they invited a number of other bluegrass personalities known for their drollery to serve as additional characters, and if you are not aware of the work of The Darrell Brothers, do yourself a favor and have a look.
The response to their videos online generated enough notice that Frank and Bostic began work on a pilot for a potential television series. Working with producer/director Clint Keller, they shot a substantial amount of footage at several locations, which were in the process of being edited into episode form.
But those plans have been on hold since Brandon was seriously injured in an auto accident earlier this year. While he heals, however, Keller has put together this short video as a trailer of sorts. It opens a window into the absurdity and playful facetiousness that makes the Brothers so appealing.
Ashby tells us that they received a cease and desist letter from Dinosaur World while they were filming.
On a more serious note, he also reports that Brandon is doing OK, and is set to begin physical therapy as soon as the virus panic is over. Friends and family are still raising money for Bostic online, as he has been unable to work this past two months.
Be sure to check out the various prior escapades of The Darrell Brothers which we have covered here at Bluegrass Today.
