Much like folk music's Von Trapp Children and classical music's Ying Quartet, the bluegrass band Cherryholmes has evolved into an impressive family operation. Jere and Sandy Cherryholmes, along with their children Cia, Molly, B.J. and Skip, have combined elements of bluegrass, Celtic and jazz to create a lively band with a distinctive sound.
Not long ago, the group began collaborating with symphony orchestras in an effort to showcase the diversity of their music. Cherryholmes will join the Oklahoma City Philharmonic this week for a pair of pops concerts.
“When we started out, our goal was to be a hard-core, traditional bluegrass band,” said Sandy Cherryholmes. “As our kids grew, we kind of rewrote the rules. They would soak up movie soundtracks, and I'd start hearing them jamming to that music.
“As we began to write our own music, the whole structure changed even more. By adding other musical influences, like gospel and Americana, we were able to create our own eclectic sound.”
Cherryholmes understands those who may scoff at the idea of symphonic bluegrass, a term that indeed sounds like a strange oxymoron. The group has also experienced some reluctance from orchestral musicians, given the wide gap that exists between their musical styles.
“Every orchestra we've played with, there's this distance that exists between the orchestra and our group,” Cherryholmes said. “But after the first rehearsal, many of them get a new respect for what is happening on stage.
“Today, there is so much blurring of musical lines that everything has kind of cross-pollinated. A bluegrass group can survive year after year within that limited niche, but if you're able to market yourself into other areas, it opens the door professionally.”
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