Courtesy of My Brother's Keeper
My Brother's Keeper
No genre of music gets your feet in a fit of movement more than Bluegrass. There’s something special about string-instrument symphonies that moves through an audience.
My Brother’s Keeper has been crafting its sound as long as its members can remember. This rising bluegrass act is somewhat of a family affair as brothers Benjamin, Titus and Joshua Luckhaupt spearhead its energetic live shows with bassist Wyatt Murray.
“We grew up surrounded by music, my mom sang in gospel quartets and my dad fiddled around on guitar around the house,” Benjamin Luckhaupt, guitarist and vocalist for the group says. “When we all hit the ages of 12 to 15, we picked up bluegrass instruments.”
The family grew up singing in church, learning how to blend their talents to create harmonies. However, it was the records that the boys found lying around that made the largest musical impact.
“There were always bluegrass records around the house. My mom and dad listened to Ricky Skaggs and Alison Krauss,” Luckaupt says. “That was what really spoke to us more than anything else.”
As the brothers started performing together in front of church members, they felt a draw to create their own path with original songs. Stepping outside of their comfort zone has always been a part of the brothers’ creative process.
“Our first gigs were in this alleyway next to a farmers market playing for tips,” Luckaupt says. “Nobody was listening, but every now and then a few people would stop by and say some encouraging words. We were cutting our teeth.”
After adding bassist Wyatt Murray in 2012, the lineup was set for the next decade plus of live shows.
With many things in life, perseverance is something that separates the best from the rest. My Brother’s Keeper never wavered in its belief in the music.
Coming from an Indiana area playfully nicknamed “Cindiana” near the greater Cincinnati area, the band has forged on in efforts to carve out its place in the bluegrass scene.
“A band sort of builds out regionally,” Luckhaupt says. “We started out here in southwest Ohio, people in the area would start to recognize our name and we started building out further and further.”
The band has released four albums on its own accords. This Saturday, June 10, the band is celebrating the release of its first album produced by Robust Records, a record company out of North Carolina. The album’s title is Field Guide.
The celebration is set to take place at Natalie’s Grandview, a kitchen and music hall that settled into its new location in late 2019.
“Natalie’s was a venue that I had in my sights as a place I really wanted to play,” Luckhaupt says. “I remember when we first started getting into this we would drive up to Natalie’s when they had folk and bluegrass acts.”
These shows took place at Natalie’s Cold Fire Pizza, Natalie’s Worthington location which is now permanently closed.
“I remember how cool it was to see quite a few bands we really admired,” Luckhaupt says. “As we’ve built up regionally and have more family and friends in Columbus I thought, what about Natalie’s?”
The band’s new album seeks to blend the lyrical humor of John Prine with more folk and pop driven sides of bluegrass.
“There’s a wide range of styles in there,” Luckhaupt says. “For fans of acoustic and bluegrass music it really can check a lot of boxes of what people are into and I think people will love it.”
Courtesy of My Brother's Keeper
My Brother's Keeper Vert
The band wants to grow organically as they have since the beginning.
“The past couple years have been really good for My Brother’s Keeper,” Luckhaupt says. “There’s a lot of good things and a lot of blessings happening with our band. We’re just trying to have fun, play music and not stress too much what happens next.”
Benjamin Luckhaupt is looking forward to the “family affair” at Natalie’s this weekend with the support of those closest to the band. Luckhaupt’s cousin Caleb Edwards will be opening the show with a solo performance. Edwards is making the trip up from Nashville where he has become a resident musician at the Grand Ole Opry.
“He’s been diving into his solo career over the past few years and it’s really just wonderful music,” Luckhaupt says. “The crowd that’s gonna get to see him for the first time is gonna be blown away. I know big things are coming around the corner for him.”
Join Wyatt “Sawmill” Murray, the Luckhaupt brothers and their cousin Caleb for a night of food, drinks and beautiful bluegrass music. Don’t be afraid to abandon your seat and move your feet for this one!
Aaron Gilliam is the social media coordinator at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
