Cherryholmes preview

Cherryholmes
Raue Center, Crystal Lake
Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Next time you go to a concert and complain about the opening acts, spend too much on drinks, drink too much, and forget most the evening’s highlights by the time the headache wears off the next morning, think of the Cherryholmes family. They went to a bluegrass festival on a whim and were so inspired they started their own group. Now they have two Grammy nominations.

Husband and wife Sandy (mandolin) and Jere (bass) were stationed in suburban Los Angeles (not exactly a mecca of roots music) when they formed Cherryholmes in 1999 with their four children (B.J., Skip, Cia, and Molly), three of whom knew little to nothing about playing musical instruments. Six years later the group — now calling Nashville home — were named Entertainer Of The Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association; seven years later their first commercial release, Cherryholmes, was nominated for a Best Bluegrass Album Grammy; and eight years later they became multiple nominees when Cherryholmes II: Black And White received the same treatment.

The ace up their sleeves is Ricky Skaggs. Cherryholmes II: Black And White was not only released on Skaggs’ own Skaggs Family Records and recorded in his Hendersonville, Tennessee studio, but the bluegrass legend even appears on three tracks, playing guitar on “Tell Me Why,” “Greedy Hands,” and “Black And White,” a moving morality tale to which he also lends harmony vocals (along with the songwriter, Sonya Isaacs). The group’s own history in bluegrass isn’t extensive, but they’ve made sure to study its long history: Black And White owes plenty to masters like The Osborne and Stanley Brothers and, of course, Jimmy Martin. Apparently Cherryholmes offspring are quick learners.

– Trevor Fisher

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly