At our next Signature Series, the Newport Branch welcomes The Burnett Sisters Band. Fans of bluegrass, folk and roots music won’t want to miss this performance! Stick around after the show to meet the band and get an autograph.
Event Details
When: 7 pm Friday, Sept. 12
Where: Newport Branch (901 E 6th St.)
Doors open at 6 pm for the event.
Our next Signature Series event features The Burnett Sisters Band! This North Carolina-based band will play at our Newport Branch at 7 pm on Friday, Sept. 12. They add a twist of vibrancy to their modern take on folk music to create a setlist that includes a variety of traditional genres that is sure to be like nothing you have ever experienced.
But there is no better expert on the type of music they play than the band members themselves! We sat down with Burnett siblings Anissa, Sophia, Anneli and Geary Allen of The Burnett Sisters Band to get a little taste of what they plan to bring to our library.
You have been touring for thirteen years! How did the band form, and what made you all want to take the next step to become a band?
Anissa: The three of us sisters actually started playing at our church, singing hymns and other songs. Then our older sister, Kathleen, and I formed a band, and Sophia and Anneli formed their own. We separately started playing at bluegrass and old-time festivals and folk conventions, which opened up more doors for us. Playing, performing and enjoying music has always been in all of us.
Geary: My family also had a band that we started when we were young in England. My dad, two brothers, sister and I would play at pubs and coffee shops growing up. We would play different music like old-time, western, swing and country.
Anissa: Yeah, there are definitely a lot of similarities between us and Geary’s family, so when we found each other, there was a connection. It was interesting that we had similar beginnings to our music careers and even played the same type of music, which was a lot of different types of music.
You just mentioned you play a lot of different types of music. What would you say influenced your decision to play different kinds of genres rather than sticking to one?
Anissa: Growing up, we listened to a lot of different music and musicians like Doc Watson, the Carter Family, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. I, personally, really got into French swing in my early teens, which had a big influence.
Listening to so many different styles and people made us want to play a lot of different styles. Old-time music is a good base to build off of, and it makes it easy to open up and branch off into different genres.
We’ve had a lot of people come up to us after shows and tell us that they appreciate how we switch up our set and play multiple different types of music. So being open and varied has been entertaining for us and our audience.
Geary: My family also listened to a bunch of different music, so when we played, we would just play whatever we felt like playing at the time.
Life as university students, full-time workers and musicians must be hard to juggle. How do you do it?
Anissa: We are very lucky because we all either work at or attend East Tennessee State University as a part of their Bluegrass, Old-time and Roots Music Studies program. Here, they are extremely supportive and strive to teach students how to be professional musicians, traveling musicians, run their own sound and run their own business. If we have to miss class or work to play a gig, it’s generally okay because this is the goal and point of the program.
It’s almost too good to be true. We’re very lucky to be as involved as we are with what we studied or are currently studying. At our school, we’re surrounded by people who want to help us achieve our dreams.
What type of venues do you like playing at the most?
Anissa: That’s hard, because each type of venue offers its pros and cons. But in my opinion, I like the indoor concerts and smaller venues because they can be more intimate and personal. In those venues, we know that most of the people are coming to specifically see us play, so that’s always nice.
Have you ever played at a library before?
Anissa: Yes! We’ve played for a few different libraries, whether it be for background music or a concert. Whatever the reason, we’ve noticed that there’s always a good crowd there that’s coming to have a good time. We’re excited to get the opportunity to play at another one!
Congratulations on the release of your new single, “The Song of the Mountains." What influence did your home state of North Carolina have on this song?
Anneli: Thank you! It definitely had a lot of influence, specifically the town of Boone, North Carolina. The town has grown greatly in the past few years, and the quietness of the town is slowly disappearing.
Those who are older and who have lived in the quietness of the town for the majority of their lives aren’t necessarily happy that it’s changing. So, it’s inspired by that and other Appalachian communities that are losing their small-town aesthetic and how people who grew up there don’t really like it.
Is there anything you’d like our patrons to know before playing here in September?
Anissa: Be ready for a good time! We’re going to be dancing and playing a variety of genres like dancing, swing, old-time and Americana. So, if you’re ready for a good time, so are we!
You heard it from them: get ready to have a great time on Friday, Sept. 12! If you stay after the show, you’ll also have the chance to meet the band. Don't forget to register for what is sure to be an amazing night of music. We cannot wait to see you there!
Thank you to the Friends of the Campbell County Public Library for making Signature Series possible.
Friends of the Campbell County Public Library help by volunteering for a number of tasks from hosting library events to assisting staff with special projects. They seek to create public support for the library by keeping the community informed about library services.
