It would seem that we will soon be seeing The Gillis Brothers from Georgia on stage again, though they won’t be performing under that name.
John Gillis, who worked with his brother Larry for several years in the 1990s as The Gillis Brothers, is returning to the group. Their hard driving, Stanley-inflected mountain style was quite popular when they were together, and Larry has continued on his own since his brother had to put down the guitar.
John was unable to travel following a serious back injury he suffered during a logging accident in 2003. But following a new, successful surgery in recent years, John is feeling like getting on the road, and Larry has welcomed him back to the show. They will now go out as Larry & John Gillis and Swampgrass, pursuing the same old-time, mountain music sound that was a hit for them in the past.
Larry says that John just got tired of sitting around the house now that his grandchildren are all in school, and needed something to do.
They will be heading into the studio soon for a new album they hope to have available before the end of the year. They are also booking shows now for next year. You can contact the band for more information from their web site.
This is wonderful news for fans of the original Gillis Brothers sound, and anyone who appreciates the raw energy they generated back in the day. Make plans to catch them live if you can, including at their Swampgrass Festival in October.
