The Avett Brothers are an American
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...
band from
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is the county seat and largest city in Cabarrus County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 105,186, with an estimated population in 2021 of 107,697. In terms of population, the cit ...
.
The band is made up of two brothers,
Scott Avett
Scott Yancey Avett (born June 19, 1976) is one of the lead singers and founding members of the folk-rock band, The Avett Brothers. Avett primarily plays the banjo but also plays harmonica, drums, piano, acoustic guitar and electric guitar for th ...
(
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
, lead vocals, guitar, piano, kick-drum) and
Seth Avett
Timothy Seth Avett (born July 30, 1980) is one of the lead singers and founding members of the American folk-rock band The Avett Brothers. Avett sings and plays guitar, drums, and piano for the band based out of Concord, North Carolina. In 2008, ...
(
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
, lead vocals, piano, hi-hat) along with Bob Crawford (
double bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
, electric bass, violin, backing vocals) and Joe Kwon (
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
, backing vocals).
Mike Marsh (
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
), Tania Elizabeth (fiddle) and Bonnie Avett-Rini (piano) are touring members of the band.
Following on from Seth and Scott's former rock band Nemo, The Avett Brothers combine
bluegrass,
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
,
punk,
pop melodies,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
,
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
,
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
,
honky tonk
A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ( tack piano) ...
, and
ragtime
Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
to produce a novel sound described by the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' as having the "heavy sadness of
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter. , the light pop concision of
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
, the tuneful jangle of
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
, the raw energy of the
Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
."
History
Beginnings (2000–2002)
Scott and Seth Avett have played music together since childhood as their grandmother was a concert pianist and their father Jim Avett was a guitarist. Their collaborative partnership began in the late 1990s with the merger of Seth's
Mount Pleasant High School rock band Margo and Scott's college group Nemo. Margo had released the song "Dumbfight" on a compilation album before merging with Nemo. After releasing three albums with Nemo, the Avetts started experimenting with acoustic music with some friends at night.
After a few street performances and parties they performed under the names The Back Porch Project or Nemo Downstairs. The brothers and Nemo guitarist John Twomey put together an EP entitled ''The Avett Bros'' in 2000 while performing both as the Avett Brothers (with Scott, Seth and John) and as Nemo.
When Nemo broke up Scott and Seth continued to write acoustic music together. In early 2001 the stand-up bassist Bob Crawford, formerly of the Memphis Quick 50, joined the Avetts, and the band released their first full-length album, ''Country Was''. The Avett Brothers set out on a self-booked tour to promote the new album and in late 2002 began preparations for a follow-up.
''A Carolina Jubilee, Mignonette,'' and ''Four Thieves Gone'' (2003–2006)
After releasing a live album of original songs and covers entitled ''Live at the Double Door Inn'' the brothers settled down to compile a new full-length album. During this time the band began a partnership with Dolph Ramseur, a local label owner who had been impressed by the group's live show and original material. After 70 hours in the studio, the band recorded the album ''
A Carolina Jubilee'', released by Ramseur Records in 2003. Unlike their previous albums, ''A Carolina Jubilee'' demonstrated the band's genre-crossing writing and performing.
![Avett Brothers, Pickathon 2006](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Avett_Brothers%2C_Pickathon_2006.jpg)
In 2004, the band released their third album, ''
Mignonette'', which featured polished harmonies, introspective lyrics and a sense of dedication that pushed the band to new heights. The album, running longer than 70 minutes, included vocals by the Avetts' sister Bonnie Avett and their father Jim Avett. ''Mignonette'' was named after an English yacht which sank off the Cape of Good Hope resulting in the cannibalism case ''
R v Dudley and Stephens
''R v Dudley and Stephens'' (188414 QBD 273, DCis a leading English criminal case which established a precedent throughout the common law world that necessity is not a defence to a charge of murder. The case concerned survival cannibalism foll ...
''.
In 2005, the band released ''Live, Volume 2'', recorded at the Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte and King's Baracade in
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats, seat of Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County in the United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most ...
. The album spanned material from their career up to that point.
In early 2006, the band released ''
Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions'' to much acclaim. The album was recorded in a lake house in
Robbinsville, North Carolina
Robbinsville is a town in Graham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 620 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Graham County, county population 8,861.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town h ...
, over the course of 10 days and included collaborations with
Paleface and Ian Thomas.
The album was titled ''Four Thieves Gone'' after Scott Avett realized their song "Denouncing November Blue" sounded identical to the
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, pioneering Southern rock. He was best known for his number-one country hit "The Dev ...
song "Uneasy Rider", whom they ultimately credited with the songwriting.
During extensive touring in support of the album Scott and Seth Avett produced ''The Gleam'', an EP of intimate, stripped-down recordings, which was released in September 2006. They were inspired to create the album as a duo after their experience writing and recording "Famous Flower of Manhattan" during the ''Four Thieves Gone'' sessions.
''Emotionalism'' (2007–2008)
![Dco avett bros pickathon DSC 0387](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Dco_avett_bros_pickathon_DSC_0387.jpg)
The band released ''
Emotionalism'' on May 15, 2007. It debuted at the top of the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Top Heatseekers Albums chart, number 134 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and number 13 on the Independent Artist Chart.
In support of the album the band made their national television debut on May 12 on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
'' performing "Paranoia in B-Flat Major." ''Emotionalism'' marked the first appearance of the cellist Joe Kwon who has since become a full-time touring and recording member of the band.
On November 1, 2007 the
Americana Music Association
The Americana Music Association is a not-for-profit trade organization advocating for American Roots Music around the world. It is a network for Americana artists, radio stations, record labels, publishers, and others with the goal of developi ...
presented the Avett Brothers with two awards, as Duo/Group of the Year and as New/Emerging Artist of the Year. In July 2008, the band released ''
The Second Gleam
''The Second Gleam'' (sometimes written ''The Gleam II'') is a 2008 EP by The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett ( banjo, lead vocals, ...
'', a stripped-down acoustic album like ''The Gleam''. In the same month, the band announced they had chosen
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records.
Rubin helped popula ...
to produce their next album and were now signed to his
American Recordings label.
''I and Love and You'' (2009–2011)
![Flickr - moses namkung - Avett Brothers 5](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Flickr_-_moses_namkung_-_Avett_Brothers_5.jpg)
From September 8 to October 8, 2009, the Avett Brothers released 13 short videos describing their music and fans in anticipation of their upcoming album, ''
I and Love and You
''I and Love and You'' is the 2009 major label debut by The Avett Brothers and produced by Rick Rubin.
The first single, "I and Love and You" was released on June 24, 2009, via free digital download. The album was released on vinyl on September 15 ...
''. The videos included clips from past concerts, fan interviews and interviews with the members of the band. ''I and Love and You'', released on September 29, 2009, peaked at number 16 on the ''Billboard'' 200 best-selling albums chart, number 8 on the best-selling digital albums chart, number 7 on the rock albums chart, and number 1 on the folk albums chart.
[ The Avett Brothers: Chart History – ''I and Love and You'' Billboard.com.]
In the wake of the album's release the Avett Brothers appeared on late-night TV programs, including the ''
Late Show with David Letterman
The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
'',
''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airing from January 3, 2005, to December 19, ...
'',
and ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon.[ About pag ...](_blank)
''.
On January 21, 2010 the band was featured on the long-running PBS series ''
Austin City Limits
''Austin City Limits'' is an American live music television program recorded and produced by Austin PBS. The show helped Austin become widely known in the United States as the "Live Music Capital of the World", and is the only television show t ...
.''
In January 2010 drummer Jacob Edwards was added to the Avetts' touring lineup.
In the fall of 2010 the band released their third live album and first concert DVD, ''Live, Volume 3.'' The performance was recorded the previous year during the band's homecoming concert at
Bojangles' Coliseum
Bojangles Coliseum (originally Charlotte Coliseum and formerly Independence Arena and Cricket Arena) is an 8,600-seat multi-purpose arena located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which als ...
in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In early 2011, Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford learned that his daughter Hallie had a seizure due to a brain tumor. He took a hiatus from the band and was temporarily replaced by
Langhorne Slim
Langhorne Slim is an American singer-songwriter, (born Sean Scolnick on August 20, 1980 in Langhorne, Pennsylvania). He attended high school at Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase ...
bassist Paul Defiglia.
Crawford returned to play with the band on the
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights pri ...
in 2011, performing "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" and then joining
Mumford and Sons Mumford may refer to:
*Amazing Mumford, a Muppet character on ''Sesame Street''
* ''Mumford'' (film), a 1999 American comedy-drama film
*Mumford procedure, also called distal clavicle excision or distal clavicle resection, an orthopedic surgical pro ...
and
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
for a performance of "
Maggie's Farm
"Maggie's Farm" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 15, 1965, and released on the album ''Bringing It All Back Home'' on March 22 of that year. Like many other Dylan songs of the 1965–66 period, "Maggie's Farm" is based on electr ...
." After successful treatment at
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research facility located in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1962, it is a 501(c)(3) designated nonprofit medical corporation which focuses on children's catastrophic diseases, pa ...
his daughter's condition stabilized, and he returned to the band. The band kept Defiglia as a touring member, playing organ, double bass, and keyboard.
''The Carpenter'' and ''Magpie and the Dandelion'' (2012–2015)
In 2011, the band began the demo process for the followup to ''I and Love and You'' for a 2012 release, also produced by Rick Rubin. 24 songs were recorded. On June 26, 2012, the Avett Brothers released a preview of the single "Live and Die" on NPR Music and announced that their sixth studio album, ''The Carpenter'', would be released on September 11, 2012. It debuted at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was nominated for the Grammy award for Best Americana Album at 55th annual
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s. Jacob Edwards left the band in December 2012.
Mike Marsh, formerly the drummer of
Dashboard Confessional
Dashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, led by singer Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the songThe Sharp Hint of New Tears off their debut album, ''The Swiss Army Romance''.
History
Early h ...
, which recorded songs from ''I and Love and You'', joined the band as a touring member at their annual New Year's Eve show in 2012.
![Avett Brothers Bottlerock 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Avett_Brothers_Bottlerock_2013.jpg)
On June 12, 2013, the Avett Brothers announced that a follow-up companion to ''The Carpenter'' would be released in the fall of 2013. On July 27, at the Newport Folk Festival, the band announced that the new album would be entitled ''
Magpie and the Dandelion''. On August 8, they told NPR that ''Magpie and the Dandelion'', which consisted mostly of songs recorded during sessions for ''The Carpenter'', would be released on October 15, 2013. The NPR announcement also premiered their new single "Another Is Waiting." The album was released to generally warm reviews and peaked at number 5 on the ''Billboard'' 200 during its first week. Tania Elizabeth, who had recorded with the Avetts during the ''Magpie and the Dandelion'' sessions, began touring with the band on November 21, 2013.
Near the end of May 2014, Seth Avett and Bob Crawford mentioned in different interviews they were recording demos for their next album, to be produced by Rick Rubin. During their concert on December 13, 2014, in
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its y ...
, Seth and Scott mentioned they spent November recording songs for their upcoming album. In November 2015 Seth updated the release estimate to be "early 2016."
On November 23, 2015, the band announced their fourth live album and second concert DVD, titled ''
Live, Vol. Four'' would be released on December 18, 2015. The live album was recorded at their concert in Raleigh, North Carolina, on December 31, 2014. While touring in support of ''Live, Vol. Four'' the band spoke of their ninth studio album.
''True Sadness'' and ''Closer Than Together'' (2016–2019)
On March 3, 2016, the band announced the expected release of their ninth full-length studio album, ''
True Sadness
''True Sadness'' is the ninth studio album by American folk rock band The Avett Brothers. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album was released on June 24, 2016, through American Recordings and Republic Records. A vinyl edition was released on August ...
,'' which Seth Avett described as "a patchwork quilt, both thematically and stylistically." The album was released on June 24, 2016 and debuted at number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Top 200, topping the U.S. Folk and U.S. Top Rock charts,
though reviews were mixed. ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' praised the band's experimentation and "willingness to tear down boundaries" while
''Pitchfork'' criticized the "baffling layers of synthesizers in what feels like a ploy to push the Avetts into clear Top 40 territory." The album was nominated for two awards, Best Americana Album and Best Americana Roots Performance (the album's lead single, "Ain't No Man"), at the
59th Annual Grammy Awards
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...
. On January 31, 2017, it was announced that a documentary about the production of ''True Sadness'', entitled ''May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers'', directed by
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow (; born December 6, 1967) is an American comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter, best known for his work in comedy and drama films. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and directed the films '' ...
and Michael Bonfiglio, would premiere at the 2017
South by Southwest
South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...
film festival. The documentary was released on HBO on January 29, 2018.
Also during this period, in October 2016, the band was inducted into the
North Carolina Music Hall of Fame
The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization and museum in Kannapolis, North Carolina that was created to honor musicians, composers and artists with ties to North Carolina that have made significant impact in the music indus ...
. While the core four members of the band remained the same, however, the remaining line-up of the band continued to evolve. On August 18, 2017, the band announced that keyboardist Paul Defiglia would be leaving the band on September 3, 2017.
Scott and Seth's older sister Bonnie Avett Rini immediately joined them on tour playing piano.
And on August 27, 2018 Tania Elizabeth announced on Instagram that she was taking maternity leave from the band
but returned for the majority of their 2019 tour.
On December 21, 2017, Scott Avett mentioned in an interview that they were again working with producer Rick Rubin on new material. Ten months later, in October 2018, the band debuted the song "Roses & Sacrifice" on ''
Late Night with Seth Meyers
''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing weeknights a ...
'',
and in an interview Scott Avett stated their next album would release the following year, in 2019, describing the album as “by no means a political record, but it’s more about blatant social and political issues than ever before." The next month, on November 16, 2018, "Roses & Sacrifice" was released as a single on the American Recordings label, with follow-up singles "Trouble Letting Go" and "Neapolitan Sky" released on December 21, 2018 and February 1, 2019, respectively. On May 6 the band released "Sun, Flood, or Drought," a song featured in the documentary ''
The Biggest Little Farm
''The Biggest Little Farm'' is a 2018 American documentary film, directed by John Chester. The film profiles the life of John Chester and his wife Molly as they acquire and establish themselves on Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, California. .'' On June 13 the band announced that their next album would be titled ''
Closer Than Together,'' to be released on October 4, 2019, and described as "informed by what is happening now." The album reached No. 2 on the
Billboard Americana/Folk charts to mixed reviews.
''The Third Gleam'' (2020–present)
In a late February 2020 interview, Scott Avett stated "we plan to at least have another release this year if all goes well." On June 29, 2020, the band announced the third installment of their Gleam series, ''The Third Gleam'' (stylized ''The Gleam III'') would release on August 28, 2020. It released to generally favorable reviews and was supported by two drive-in concerts at the
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway (previously known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009) is a motorsport complex located in Concord, North Carolina, outside Charlotte. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including th ...
to allow social distancing for the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The Avett Brothers released a cover of
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
's "
This Land Is Your Land
"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", with melody based on a Carter Fam ...
" on Friday, October 30, four days before the
2020 United States presidential election
The 2020 United States presidential election was the 59th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The Democratic ticket of former vice president Joe Biden and the junior U.S. senator from California Kamala Ha ...
.
In August 2019 the band announced that a stage musical based on their music, titled ''Swept Away'', would debut at the
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Repertory Theatre is a regional theater company located in Berkeley, California. It runs seven productions each season from its two stages in Downtown Berkeley.
History
The company was founded in 1968, as the East Bay's first resident pr ...
in June 2020. It was postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic, opening on January 9th.
Members
Recording members
*
Seth Avett
Timothy Seth Avett (born July 30, 1980) is one of the lead singers and founding members of the American folk-rock band The Avett Brothers. Avett sings and plays guitar, drums, and piano for the band based out of Concord, North Carolina. In 2008, ...
– lead and backing vocals, guitar, hi-hat, piano, drums, kazoo, percussion (2000–present)
*
Scott Avett
Scott Yancey Avett (born June 19, 1976) is one of the lead singers and founding members of the folk-rock band, The Avett Brothers. Avett primarily plays the banjo but also plays harmonica, drums, piano, acoustic guitar and electric guitar for th ...
– lead and backing vocals, banjo, kick drum, harmonica, guitar, piano, drums, kazoo, percussion (2000–present)
* Bob Crawford – backing and lead vocals, double bass, bass guitar, trumpet, violin, mariachi bass, kazoo (2001–present)
* Joe Kwon – cello, musical saw, backing vocals, cowbell, kazoo, piano (2006–present)
Touring musicians
*
Mike Marsh – drums (2012–present)
* Bonnie Avett-Rini – piano (2017–present)
*Tania Elizabeth – violin, vocals, kazoo (2013–2018, 2019–present)
Previous members
* John Twomey – guitar (2000–2001)
* Jacob Edwards – drums (2010–2012, touring)
* Paul Defiglia – piano, double bass, organ, vocals (2011–2017, touring)
Timeline
: * Jacob Edwards appears on the October 2013 album ''Magpie and the Dandelion'' despite having stopped touring with the band in December 2012.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Country Was'' (2002)
* ''
A Carolina Jubilee'' (2003)
* ''
Mignonette'' (2004)
* ''
Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions'' (2006)
* ''
Emotionalism'' (2007)
* ''
I and Love and You
''I and Love and You'' is the 2009 major label debut by The Avett Brothers and produced by Rick Rubin.
The first single, "I and Love and You" was released on June 24, 2009, via free digital download. The album was released on vinyl on September 15 ...
'' (2009)
* ''
The Carpenter'' (2012)
* ''
Magpie and the Dandelion'' (2013)
* ''
True Sadness
''True Sadness'' is the ninth studio album by American folk rock band The Avett Brothers. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album was released on June 24, 2016, through American Recordings and Republic Records. A vinyl edition was released on August ...
'' (2016)
* ''
Closer Than Together'' (2019)
EPs
* ''The Gleam'' (2006)
* ''
The Second Gleam
''The Second Gleam'' (sometimes written ''The Gleam II'') is a 2008 EP by The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett ( banjo, lead vocals, ...
'' (2008)
* ''The Gleam III'' (2020)
Awards and nominations
Americana Music Honors & Awards
The Americana Music Honors & Awards is the marquee event for the Americana Music Association. Beginning in 2002, the Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community. Six member-voted awards and several Lifetime Ac ...
, -
, 2007
, The Avett Brothers
, Emerging Artist of the Year
,
, -
, 2007
, ''
Emotionalism''
, Album of the Year
,
, -
, 2007
, The Avett Brothers
, Duo/Group of the Year
,
, -
, 2008
, The Avett Brothers
, Duo/Group of the Year
,
, -
, 2010
, The Avett Brothers
, Duo/Group of the Year
,
, -
, 2010
, "
I and Love and You
''I and Love and You'' is the 2009 major label debut by The Avett Brothers and produced by Rick Rubin.
The first single, "I and Love and You" was released on June 24, 2009, via free digital download. The album was released on vinyl on September 15 ...
"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, 2011
, The Avett Brothers
, Duo/Group of the Year
,
, -
, 2014
, The Avett Brothers
, Duo/Group of the Year
,
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, -
,
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
, ''
The Carpenter''
,
Best Americana Album
The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...
,
, -
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, "Ain't No Man"
,
Best American Roots Performance
The Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance is an award category at the annual Grammy Awards. It was first presented in 2015.
The award was first approved by the board of trustees of the Grammy Awards in June 2014. According to NARAS, t ...
,
, -
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, ''
True Sadness
''True Sadness'' is the ninth studio album by American folk rock band The Avett Brothers. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album was released on June 24, 2016, through American Recordings and Republic Records. A vinyl edition was released on August ...
''
,
Best Americana Album
The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...
,
Other appearances
* "Live and Die", from ''The Carpenter'', was used in the 2012
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow (; born December 6, 1967) is an American comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter, best known for his work in comedy and drama films. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and directed the films '' ...
comedy ''
This Is 40
''This Is 40'' is a 2012 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Judd Apatow and starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann. A " sort-of sequel" to Apatow's 2007 film ''Knocked Up'', the movie centers on married couple Pete (Rudd) and Debbie ...
'' and was included on its soundtrack.
* "If It's the Beaches", from ''The Gleam'', was used in season two of the television series ''
Friday Night Lights'' and was included on the soundtrack album ''
Friday Night Lights Vol. 2''.
* "I and Love and You" was used in the episode of the same title, in season seven, of the television series
''One Tree Hill''.
* "Kick Drum Heart", from ''I and Love and You'', was used in the episode "Live for Today, Pray for Tomorrow", the first episode of the second season of MTV's ''
World of Jenks
''World of Jenks'' is an American documentary television series on MTV. The series premiered on September 13, 2010 following the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. The second season of the series debuted on March 4, 2013 and consists of ten one-hour epi ...
''.
* The NBC drama
''Parenthood'' has used several songs by the Avett Brothers:
** "Kick Drum Heart", from ''I and Love and You'', was used in the opening scene of the pilot and was later included on the show's soundtrack.
** "Slight Figure of Speech", from ''I and Love and You'', was played in the background in the episode "Qualities and Figures", in season two.
** "Part from Me", from ''Magpie and the Dandelion'', was used in the episode "Limbo", in season five.
** "Open Ended Life", from ''Magpie and the Dandelion'', was used in the episode "Fraud Alert", in season five.
** "The Once and Future Carpenter", from ''The Carpenter'', was used in the episode "The Scale of Affection Is Fluid", in season six.
*"Will You Return", from ''Emotionalism'', was the theme song of the
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
–winning public television series ''
A Chef's Life
''A Chef's Life'' was an American documentary-style cooking show created by Cynthia Hill and Vivian Howard. The series was produced by Markay Media and was broadcast by PBS. The series premiered September 7, 2013, and its final episode, a serie ...
.''
*"Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise", from ''I and Love and You'', was used in the episode "Halt & Catch Fire", the thirteenth episode of the tenth season of the CW's ''
Supernatural
Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
''.
*The Netflix series ''
Love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
'' has used several songs by the Avett Brothers:
**"No Hard Feelings", from ''True Sadness'', was used in the episode "Friends Night Out", in season two.
**"Kick Drum Heart", from ''I And Love And You'', was used in the episode "The Cruikshanks", in season three.
*On November 1, 2012, the band appeared on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, California, as part of ABC's lead ...
'' and performed "I and Love and You" with the
Brooklyn Philharmonic
There have been several organisations referred to as the Brooklyn Philharmonic. The most recent one was the now-defunct Brooklyn Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, an American orchestra based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, in existence fr ...
.
*On February 22, 2013, the band appeared on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' to perform a medley of "Kick Drum Heart" and "Geraldine".
*On September 30, 2013, the band performed "Vanity" on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' with
Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. H ...
.
*On December 31, 2013, the band performed their songs "All My Mistakes", from ''Emotionalism'', and "Head Full of Doubt" and "Road Full of Promise", from ''I and Love and You'', and a cover version of
Tom T. Hall
Thomas Hall (May 25, 1936 – August 20, 2021), known professionally as Tom T. Hall and informally nicknamed "the Storyteller," was an American country music singer-songwriter and short-story author. He wrote 12 No. 1 hit songs, with 26 more ...
's "How I Got to Memphis" on Showtime's "Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of ''
Inside Llewyn Davis
''Inside Llewyn Davis'' () is a 2013 period black comedy musical drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1961, the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac in his breakthr ...
''".
* On January 20, 2017, the band performed "
Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)
"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released as the opening track of his 1973 album ''Living in the Material World''. It was also issued as the album's lead single, in May that year, and beca ...
" on ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert''.
* On June 6, 2017, the band appeared in the documentary ''
The American Epic Sessions
''The American Epic Sessions'' is a documentary film in which an engineer restores the fabled long-lost first electrical sound recording system from 1925, and twenty contemporary artists pay tribute to the momentous machine by attempting to record ...
'' directed by
Bernard MacMahon. The band recorded live on the restored first
electrical sound recording system from the 1920s.
* On January 24, 2018, the band performed "No Hard Feelings" on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.''
* On January 26, 2018, the band performed "I Wish I Was" on ''Megyn Kelly TODAY.''
* On January 29, 2018, the Judd Apatow directed documentary ''May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers'' premiered on HBO.
*On July 18, 2018, Scott and Seth Avett appeared on comedian
Pete Holmes
Peter Benedict Holmes (born March 30, 1979) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and podcaster. Musings on spirituality and religion are frequent themes in his works.
Holmes gained recognition in the early 2010s as a stand-up comic, ...
' podcast ''You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes''.
*On October 24, 2018 the band made their 25th late night television appearance performing their unreleased song "Roses and Sacrifice" on ''
Late Night with Seth Meyers
''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing weeknights a ...
''.
*On October 7, 2019 the band performed "Tell the Truth" on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.''
In popular culture
References to and lyrics by The Avett Brothers feature prominently in ''Slammed'', a ''New York Times'' best-selling romance novel by Colleen Hoover
''Swept Away: A New Musical'', consisting of songs from various Avett Brothers albums, premiered at the
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Berkeley Repertory Theatre is a regional theater company located in Berkeley, California. It runs seven productions each season from its two stages in Downtown Berkeley.
History
The company was founded in 1968, as the East Bay's first resident pr ...
in 2022.
References
External links
*
"Taste On Tour: Food on the Road"Joe Kwon's food and touring blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avett Brothers, The
Indie rock musical groups from North Carolina
American southern rock musical groups
American folk rock groups
American alternative country groups
Americana Music Honors & Awards winners
Sibling musical duos
Musical groups established in 2000
American indie folk groups
People from Concord, North Carolina