| Nothing
slack about this family
Bluegrass band tries to find its own way with eight originals
on its new 15-track album
BY
BILL CRAIG SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Sep 04, 2003
|
Slack
Family
When: 9 p.m.
1st
& 3rd Fridays EVERY month
Where:
Shenanigan's,
4017 MacArthur Ave.
Cost:
$5
Details:
(804) 264-5010 or www.slackfamily.com
|
The
chapters of American history are filled with inspiring stories
of individuals who rose from humble beginnings to achieve
greatness. Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin. Former
Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder is the grandson of slaves.
And
then there's the Slack Family, one of central Virginia's favorite
bluegrass outfits. The beginnings weren't quite as humble
but . . . the band played its first gig in a Richmond alley.
The
five-member band (Joe Wharff, Andy Burns, Nick Harlow, Jim
Skelding and Brian Sulser) was born about 10 years ago when
Wharff, Burns and one other local musician hit the streets
for some late-night picking.
"On
Saturday nights, we'd go out in this alley off Robinson Street
and three of us would pick at 1 or 2 in the morning after
the bars let out," Wharff explained in a recent phone
interview. "After a couple weeks of doing this on a Saturday
night, we had 30 or 40 people standing around. The police
would drive by, see that nothing was wrong and then mosey
on."
A
neighborhood bar eventually invited the boys in from the cold
and Wharff, Burns and a changing lineup of Slack Family members
have been playing since.
The
name was inspired by the distinct lack of respect that family
members had for Wharff's and Burns' pursuit of music.
"In
the early days of the band, we spent the whole summer working
up tunes and learning the traditional bluegrass music,"
Wharff said. "We basically slept, ate and played bluegrass
the whole summer. Some people would consider that slack, especially
our parents and loved ones."
The
Slack Boys became the Slack Family when a female vocalist
signed on in the early days. The name stuck around even though
the singer didn't.
Their
families might not have initially loved the bluegrass music
that Wharff et al. were knocking out, but the International
Bluegrass Music Association dug it enough to invite Wharff
to showcase some of the band's tunes at its annual awards
ceremony three years ago in Kentucky.
The
band is bound to pick up a whole new army of fans with its
brand-new CD, "Pickin' Up the Slack." Eight originals
are included on the 15-track list.
Wharff
recognizes that the shift in style from album No. 1 to album
No. 2 could offend some original members of the Slack Family
Fan Club.
 |
Photo
By DEAN HOFFMEYER
The
Slack Family performs at Mars Music on West Broad St.during
"Oh Summer Where Art Thou" - an unofficial end
of summer celebration.
|
"When
you have this many originals, it will definitely have a contemporary
feel. It probably hurt us some with our fans who are real
traditional bluegrass fans. As much as I respect traditional
bluegrass music, I also think that we need to have our own
sound. Everybody can play those standards tunes. We're looking
to get our own feel that people recognize as the Slack Family
sound. I think we achieved that on the CD."
The
Slack Family has a standing date twice a month at Shenanigan's.
As much as band members love to play, Wharff is well aware
of the dangers of local overexposure.
"We
try not to play too much in town. We don't want to flog a
dead horse by playing every weekend in town. It's been working
out for us."
Wharff
is a guidance counselor at Hermitage High School and the other
band members hold down day jobs as well. But bluegrass is
more than a hobby for the five men of the Slack Family.
"We
have our dress code and our rules," Wharff said. "We
take it seriously and that's why we've been around for a while."
Back
to Slack Press
|
