Five years ago the late Pinetop Perkins' manager Pat Morgan gave Glenn and Alex Peterson their first opportunity to play onstage with the legendary bluesman. It became immediately apparent from that debut at Antone's in Austin, Texas that these two very talented young musicians showed great promise for the future. Five years on they have lived up to those expectations and The Peterson Brothers Band has appeared in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans at numerous clubs and Blues festivals across the country, including the prestigious Chicago Blues Festival and The King Biscuit Festival in Helena AR. They have also opened shows for such major artists as B.B.King, Los Lonely Boys, Lisa Marie Presley, Michael Burks, Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Marcia Ball, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Buddy Guy invited them to share the stage with him during one of his shows at ACL Live in Austin. Currently, the boys are working on a debut album with veteran producer Michael Freeman whose credits include Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith's Grammy and Blues Music Award winning album "Joined At The Hip". In addition to their ever growing list of touring dates, including a Monday night residency at Austin's renowned Continental Club, Glenn and Alex have received some accolades along the way from their musical hometown of Austin and from their hometown of Bastrop, Texas. They include a 1st Place in the 2011 Aspire to Be Me Talent showcase; voted the 2012 & 2013 Best Band of Bastrop County; won #1 Best Under-18 Band and placed #6 in the Top 10 for Best Blues, Soul and Funk, and #6 for best Bass in the 2012-13 Austin Chronicle Music Awards. Recently, the City of Austin has announced that Thursday the 3rd of October (Stevie Ray Vaughan's Birthday), will be named "Peterson Brothers' Day" in Austin, a huge honor in recognition of their musical achievements to date. "Their dedication is an exemplification of their passion", wrote Lurina Williams for the Dallas Examiner. Glenn and Alex grew up and live in Bastrop, Texas which lies just east of Austin, the sons of supportive parents Glenn Sr and Deanna Peterson. There they live as any normal teenagers would, attending to their education where they consistently receive high grades and are involved in school band and volunteer work. Every other waking hour is spent practicing and working on their own music and towards their dream. "Music for us is like soccer or football for someone else." Glenn explained. "We just love what we do and this is our life." The two brothers have surprisingly deep musical influences and reference points for such young musicians which have in great part, helped form their styles of playing and performance as they continue to develop and grow. Glenn, 18 years old, plays guitar and is the lead vocalist and delivers the blues with a heavy influence of funk in his rhythm guitar playing and a smooth, jazz influenced technique combined with a traditional blues approach to his leads. He reaches back for inspiration that runs from more contemporary players like Robert Cray, Michael Burks, Ernie Isley, and Eddie Hazel to jazz icons like Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell to Blues greats like BB King, Albert King and Freddy King, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Hubert Sumlin, T-Bone Walker and Lightnin Hopkins. Alex, 16 years old, plays bass guitar, violin and also sings. He brings the anchor and the feel to the group, often with a funk and jazz style. Like his brother, he is a wealth of knowledge about his instrument and the musicians he studies and who have influenced him. They include Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorius, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Quintin Berry, Louis Johnson, Adam Blackstone, Stanley Clarke, Rocco Prestia, Bob Stroger, and James Jamerson. Together they discovered the likes of B.B.King, Howlin' Wolf and Stevie Ray Vaughan at an early age around the house and soon began exploring the vast historical background that is the Blues. It wasn't long before they were spending every moment of free time jamming together in their music room, learning and absorbing new material. "It comes naturally to us," says Glenn. "We just seem to know and feel what the other is thinking instinctively". That instinctive bond between the two brothers is apparent when they take to the stage. Live, they are inspiring and their combination of traditional and contemporary songs, together with some new original material, continues to capture audiences of all ages. Their instrumental prowess holds crowds in awe and their abilities on stage rival that of much older, more seasoned players. The Peterson Brothers have solidified their place on the Austin music scene and are becoming recognized across the country as true prodigies with a deep Blues sensibility that belies their years. Fans eagerly await their forthcoming album. "We have been so blessed to have so many wonderful musicians and professionals guide and mentor us on our musical journey," says Glenn. "Our goals are to record and tour in the future, but I think the most important goal for every musician is to make sure that the people who listen are enjoying our music." As the Examiner.com noted. "With dates being added constantly for Glenn and Alex and a growing appreciation for their music, The Peterson Brothers Band are the new rising stars on the Austin music scene. Make sure to catch them in Austin and beyond.
About Him Alex Isley Instrumental 14
As a headlining act, Frankie Beverly and Maze have been instrumental in giving exposure to several new recording artists, before they became household names, including Toni Braxton, Regina Belle and Anita Baker, to name a few. Recently Maze released a 20-track double-CD "Anthology" of the most popular and successful songs by Frankie Beverly's smooth soul/R&B group Maze makes an almost self-evident point about the far-too-usual treatment of the deserved in the pop music game. The All Music Guide wrote, "Frankie Beverly and Maze may be the ultimate urban contemporary group, though they're much more soulful and funky than many of their counterparts." Although the group has never won any awards they continue to attract sold-out audiences giving them the title "best kept secret in the industry". 2ff7e9595c
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