The Earl Brothers – The Trespassers – Emily Bonn and The Vivants

The Earl Brothers — San Francisco’s best kept hillbilly secret. Once in a lifetime one will come across that one stand out band. One that gives you chills every time you listen to their music. A band you find yourself going out of your way to catch all of their live shows. A band whose logo you have tattooed on your arm or tramp stamp. A band you promise to name your first born after.

The Earl Brothers are that band. It’s been ten plus years since they started working on a style that has become their unique trademark — modern-day outlaw mountain hillbilly music. Sure that’s a long name, but the Earls are worth every word.

The Trespassers, from the foothills of Yosemite National Park, have been playing original, string band music together for six and a half years. The most logical way to categorize their music is Americana, but their influence stems from many genres. Bronco Ben Goger’s (guitar) songwriting is gritty and gutsy, and, though they are acoustic musicians, his compositions explore rock, blues, gypsy jazz, and country. Andy Robert’s (banjo) original songs are most often inspired by old-time music, but instead of an Appalachian feel, they have a Western twist. Andy also writes melodic banjo and fiddle tunes, heartwarming folk songs, and all sorts of dancehall numbers. While the two of them write almost all of the original music, BennyLee Friedrich and Sarah Cupery Ottley add spice, flavor, and flare with the double bass and fiddle. Most songs include two and three-part harmonies, since all the band members sing. Listeners: prepare yourself to dance, sing, and be inspired!

Emily Bonn and The Vivants  Bay Area based Emily Bonn & The Vivants perform original foot stompin’ tunes about riots, hollers, and hopping train cars. Largely inspired by the energy of old-time dance tunes, honky-tonk country and Western swing, The Vivants play their own brand of American roots music, shining up dusty melodies with modern arrangements. In former incarnations, Emily honed her songs performing in San Francisco BART stations, Belgian prisons, and at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Emily is joined by stellar players, Jody Richardson (fiddle, feet, vocals), James Touzel (upright bass), and Isaac Bonnell (accordion, guitar).