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The Buckhannon Brothers and Friends
Dennis and Curtis Buckhannon became hooked on old time music so long ago that neither of them can remember exactly how it happened. Old time music is not just what they play: its part of who they are.
Dennis is a recently-retired union painter, and Curtis works for a printing company. After the work day is done, the brothers break out their instruments, and together they create music founded on their sincere commitment to preserving traditional old-time mandolin and fiddle music that is indigenous to Missouri and the Midwest region at large.
As youngsters, the brothers listened to their Dads bluegrass and country music recordings, and they taught themselves to pick the tunes on guitars. When they were in their late teens, Curtis acquired his first mandolin and began playing old-time music. During that time there were quite a few old-time fiddlers in rural Missouri and Illinois, and the brothers learned many of their tunes from these old-time musicians as well as from field recordings. They loved old-time music, and they spent a lot of time playing music with friendsboth young and oldsharing good tunes and good times. To this day, Curtis makes a habit of meeting mandolin players and fiddlers wherever he goes, adding their tunes to the brothers repertoire.
In 1973, Curtis and Dennis formed an old-time string band called Cousin Curtis and the Cash Rebates. They had five pickers (fiddle, bass, mandolin, guitar, and banjo), and they frequently played for square dances and local establishments. The Cash Rebates still exist today, and, although the membership has gone through several evolutions, Curtis and Dennis remain at the center of the band. In the late 1980s, Curtis also joined a band called the Ill-Mo Boys, and he plays occasionally with that band too.
Today, the Buckhannon Brothers frequently perform in St. Louis as well as around east central Missouri and southern Illinois for square and line dances. They, along with other musicians, teach and call old-time square dances as well. Additionally, the brothers perform at numerous old-time national music festivals, and they have been instrumental (pun intended) in several projects dedicated to the preservation of old-time string band music, such as field recordings produced by the Missouri Friends of the Folk Arts, which currently are housed in the University of Missouri at Columbia archives. Their talents as old-time musicians have been preserved for posterity on recordings archived in the United States Library of Congress, and their recordings have been used as authentic auditory complements to two historical documentaries. You can catch The Buckhanon Brothers performances at many local venues, such as farmers markets, historic landmarks, and libraries. They also perform for private parties and other social gatherings.
The brothers produced their first compact disc, Little River Stomp, because Dennis and Curtis felt that a recording of instrumental mandolin and guitar renditions of fairly-obscure, old-time tunes would help preserve an important element of American folk music and, concurrently, be a fitting project for two brothers dedicated to performing traditional music together.
Dennis and Curtis released their second recording entitled Back Home Again, in 2006. This recording is dedicated to their friend and bass player, Forrest Earl Rose, who died suddenly of unexplained causes at the age of 48 in March of 2005. The Buckhannon Brothers released their third recording, entitled Old Time Jamboree, in 2007. They are currently working on a new recording.
They'll be bringing some guests with them to the Focal Point. Who will it be? Can we all stand the suspense? Come to the Focal Point and find out!
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LocationFocal Point Traditional Arts Center (View)
2720 Sutton Blvd
Saint Louis, MO 63143
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: Yes! |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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