Gibson Brothers

picture courtesy of the Gibson Brothers

"Brothers are akin to each other, and are fond of each other from birth. They are similar in character being from the same parents, nurtured together, and educated similarly; and the proof of their reliability over time is fullest and firmest."
-Aristotle

The friendship of brothers has a bonding effect that transforms two beings into one. The result is a sound, a feeling, and a sweet desire to move those who care to listen. The Gibson Brothers are that one being. While one brother twittles his fingers up and down a twangy banjo, the other fires out driving vocals and lively upbeat rhythms, molding two brothers into one dynamic bluegrass sound.

Since they were little boys taking care of their chores on the family dairy farm in Ellenburg Depot, New York, Eric and Leigh Gibson have had a life far from that of the average suburban or city kids. In a town with a population under one thousand, the Gibson Brothers were known to the locals as 'the boys.' Their history was learned with stories told on the job to make the time pass. Possibly descending from their Scottish roots, the telling of history and life through stories shaped the Gibson boys, and their seemingly natural growth towards music.

"Ours are mostly story songs," commented Eric. "People like to be told stories from the time they were little kids."

"We are on the tale end of a family or a culture that was very dependant on oral history," said Leigh. And with new media surfacing, and people talking to each other less and less, bluegrass is becoming an even more important machine to keep the story tradition alive.

Fun, inspiring, hope-filled and even sad, these stories are carried seamlessly throughout their newest release Bona Fide. It's a big release for the boys not only in distribution numbers, but also in style, flavor and audio excellence. It is the first release in five years and the first with new mandolin and fiddle player Marc MacGlashan.

"Marc fits like a glove," said Eric. "He fit in seamlessly with us."

The percussive feature that the boys had been longing for came when Marc brought his mandolin into the Gibson Brothers sound. "He's very tasteful and one of the best players in the country," said Leigh. "If we have success with our record then a lot of people will become aware of him."

Success, however, could mean a variety of things to these boys. Since they first started singing in church, when they were in their mid-teens, success has taken the backseat to good times, good music, and good friends. "I've never made as much money playing music as I did when I was teaching but money is not the number one driving force." No, for Eric, even though teaching high school English was a rewarding part of his life, it wasn't enough. Money doesn't matter as much as just enjoying the feeling of being on stage, and playing for himself, because it feels good. "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I'm not a partier, I get my high from music."

And the high is the best when shared with a brother. "We're right together," Leigh added. "It's easier to sing because we sing and talk the same way. It's like poetry when we're trying to phrase a song."

Their songs stand as a testament to the boys. Their lyrical ability transcends the old fashioned idea of just putting words to music and pokes at the heart of every listener. But credit must be given where it is due. "The exposure to an education only helped," said Leigh, a graduate of Plattsburgh State University. Leigh gives credit for his songs and his songwriting ability to degree in literature. Creative writing helped him write while not losing the song's focus.

The boys' focus as whole, however, it didn't come until they met up with old friend, Junior Barber. "We got a lot of good insight from Junior on how to be musicians rather than just players. We learned how to work as a team," said Leigh.

Since the boys have set their musical sights beyond the hills of the Adirondack Mountains and down towards Nashville and the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, they have blossomed in more ways than just musically. Their songs have grown, but more than that is the way in which they're getting their music out there. Playing venues like The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, their professionalism in the bluegrass industry has led them to work with people like Ricky Skaggs. "Working with Skaggs was a great experience; I learned so much from him," said Leigh.

Beyond the looming stardom, the bouncing notes, and farm boy history lays an untouched, unscathed idea of what home is, and what it means to be there. They keep their family traditions alive singing songs, telling stories, and loving life- and keeping music forever in their hearts.