April 3, 2008

Cherryholmes band to bring bluegrass sound to Purdue

Cherryholmes
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The 7:30 p.m. performance, which is presented by Purdue Convocations as part of its Frets on Fire series, is a Discovery Concert - a showcase of exceptional up-and-coming talent, said Kerry Schutt Nason, Purdue Convocations director of marketing.

Convocations also will host a pre-show jam session that is open to the public. Local musicians will lead beginning and advanced circles. Secure instrument storage will be available during the Cherryholmes concert. The jam starts at 5:30 p.m. April 17 in Stewart Center, Rooms 281B and 281C.

Less than a decade ago, the Cherryholmes family - mother, father and four kids - picked up their instruments to play together for fun. Just six years later, Cherryholmes was named the 2005 International Bluegrass Music Association's Entertainer of the Year. The family's self-titled album debuted at No. 3 on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums chart and received a 2006 Grammy nomination. Their latest album, "Cherryholmes II Black and White," was nominated for a 2007 Grammy Award.

"Their performances showcase explosive vocal harmonies, Irish stepdancing, classic country yodeling and that inherent chemistry that only a family band can share," Nason said. "Their arrangements include split breaks, twin fiddles and key changes. All six band members - Jere on bass, Sandy on mandolin, Cia on banjo, B.J. on fiddle, Skip on guitar and Molly on fiddle - sing lead, allowing for endless trio variations."

Their rise to fame represents the American bluegrass dream, Nason said. Jere and Sandy Cherryholmes met at church, got married and began raising a family of six children in Bell, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles. Jere was a carpenter for the Los Angeles County school system, and Sandy home-schooled the children. In 1999, after the death of their oldest daughter, Shelly, the family attended a nearby bluegrass festival to lift their spirits.

They were so inspired by the show that they decided to start their own bluegrass band - even though some family members had never even picked up instruments, Nason said. Sandy started giving them music lessons, and within a year, the family took a weekly gig in the San Bernardino Mountains. Soon, Cherryholmes had won a few local contests, and the promoters kept calling as their skills improved and their reputation spread. In 2002, Jere quit his job, and the family began to tour full time.

Tickets are $15 and are available at the Elliott Hall and Stewart Center box offices at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster outlets.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Kerry Schutt Nason, Purdue Convocations director of marketing, (765) 494-5045, knason@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Publication-quality photos of Cherryholmes are available at https://www.purdue.edu/convos/cherryholmesimages.shtml

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