I’ve always said, you meet the nicest bunch of people in bluegrass music. It’s true at festivals and shows, jams and pickin’s and it’s just as true of performers as it is for fans.
This was demonstrated again this week as I made the acquaintance of The Band of Kelleys, a group of four Georgia siblings who play with a passion and a skill that is highly infectious. Their primary vocalist, mandolinist Victoria, is a terrific singer with a very distinctive sound. Joining her are older brother Timothy on guitar, older sister Bethany on fiddle and banjo, and younger brother, Daniel, on bass.
Timothy was the first to get the bluegrass bug, and as he learned to play, he taught all of his siblings to play as well. Now they tour the country performing their mix of original and classic bluegrass, of a decidedly contemporary nature.
I had happened to find a video of them on Facebook doing a rousing acoustic version of Bob Dylan’s Maggie’s Farm, but it was an incomplete recording. I wrote to Bethany to see if they might have the full video, so I could share it with our readers.
She said they didn’t, but would shoot a new video while they were in Colorado over this past weekend and send it along. And boy, did they! Check out this beautiful video with the Rocky Mountains in the distance.
Victoria is only 14 years old, and already a very convincing singer. With her voice pitched a bit lower that most women who sing bluegrass, it’s perfect for a gritty song like that.
But the Kelleys didn’t stop there. They also recorded this second video for Gypsy Summertime, a band original that will be serve as the title track of their upcoming album. Have a look and you’ll see they can do tender as well as tough.
The new album is expected before the end of the summer, with a single for Gypsy Summertime sometime next month. Jim VanCleve is producing them in the studio.
Keep an eye on this bunch. They are doing something unique and worthwhile, and Victoria Kelley has a star quality about her.
Learn more about Band Of Kelleys online.
