Avett Brothers Biography

Avett Brothers Biography

The Avett Brothers are a folk-rock band that originated in Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Seth Avett and Scott Avett who play the guitar and banjo, respectively, and Bob Crawford, who plays the stand-up bass. They are often joined on tour by cellist Joe Kwon. Risen from the ashes of Seth and Scott's former rock band Nemo, The Avett Brothers combine old-time country, punk, pop melodies, folk, rock and roll, honky tonk and ragtime to produce a sound described by the San Francisco Chronicle as having the "Heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones". The group themselves eschews labels, feeling that "none would do the music the justice. It's simply left up to each person to extract his or her own account from the Avett's music". In the past year, The Avett Brothers have gone from relative unknowns to the poster children of a brand new and rapidly growing genre of American music, described by critics and fans as "indie roots", "folk-punk", or "grungegrass". Their live performances showcase their use of three-part harmony and southern rock feel, and are admired for being intense, energetic, and soulful. The band are currently signed to Ramseur Records, based in Concord, NC.

While the Avett’s rock band "Nemo" was still in operation, Scott Avett started experimenting with acoustic music with some old friends at night. After a few street performances, and small incorporations of his rock background to help fine tune the sound, Scott’s brother Seth joined in and they called the get-togethers "The Back Porch Project" or "Nemo Downstairs". The brothers began writing originals and in 2000, with the help of John Twomey (Nemo guitarist), put together a self titled LP labeled The Avett Bros.. Soon after, the band "Nemo" broke up and Scott and Seth continued with the not-so-traditional acoustic music they had been working on. In early 2002 The Avett Brothers, with help from new stand-up bass player Bob Crawford, recorded their first full album as a band titled Country Was. The band soon went on tour to promote the new album, and in late 2002 began preparations for a follow-up. After recording a live record of originals and a few covers titled Live at the Double Door Inn, the brothers settled down to compile a new full length album. After 70 hours in the studio, the band put the final touches on their 2003 release called A Carolina Jubilee. The new album encompassed not only the band's intensity, but also its refined sound. In 2004 The Avett Brothers released their next album, titled Mignonette, and made their musical intentions fully clear. The new CD included new harmonies, introspective lyrics, and a sense of dedication that pushed the band to new heights. The band released another live recording in 2005, Live, Vol. 2. This combination of live shows features many fan-favorites.

Following another sold-out New Year's Eve show at The Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Avetts completed a multi-state tour with Alt-country band, BR5-49 in January. They released Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions in early 2006 to much acclaim. Their next album, The Gleam, was released in September of 2006. The album features just Seth and Scott Avett with a more toned down sound compared to Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions. On Friday, May 12, 2007, The Avett Brothers made their national television debut on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. They performed 'Paranoia in B Flat Major' from the album Emotionalism. The band released Emotionalism on May 15, 2007. It debuted at No.1 on Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums chart, #134 spot on the Billboard Top 200 and #13 on the Independent Artist Chart. The Avett Brothers won the Americana Music Association Duo/Group of the Year and 2007 New/Emerging Artist of the Year awards on November 1, 2007. They went on to sell out two nights at Asheville NC's Orange Peel (total capacity: 1,900) and one night at the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center (capacity: 2,100) on Dec 28, 29 and 31st respectively. On January 8, 2008, the band debuted a video for the song "Paranoia in B-flat Major". On Friday, February 1, 2008, The Avett Brothers' song "If It's the Beaches" from The Gleam was featured on the NBC drama Friday Night Lights. On Friday, April 25, 2008 at the MerleFest music festival in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, The Avett Brothers announced that their newest EP, The Second Gleam, will be released on July 22 and they will play at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre on July 26, 2008.