Bray Brothers

One of the most talented, though small known, traditional bluegrass rings of the first 1960s, The Bray Brothers, usually accompanied by guitarist Crimson Cravens, were typical of the numerous regional artists who also started to take up taking part in bluegrass beyond the South. Hailing from Champaign-Urbana, IL, The Bray Brothers possess hardly any to indicate in the form of a documenting legacy, as nearly all their shows had been at unrecorded celebrations and on the Cornbelt Nation Style radio display of WHOW in Clinton, IL, that few tapes possess survived. What offers survived, however, factors to a superb traditional bluegrass music group, with business lead vocalist and mandolinist Nate Bray leading brothers Francis and Harley Bray in an exceedingly limited bluegrass ensemble. In early stages, under the path of Crimson Cravens, becoming both old and more capable and educated in the means of bluegrass, directed the youthful Brays in direction of the traditional sounds of Expenses Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs. The four would ultimately combine for limited, though not really overpowering harmonies, and progressively impressive instrumental abilities. Quickly Nate Bray would become therefore accomplished around the mandolin that Monroe himself would pay out substantial respect to his skills, as the Bray Brothers would serve an apprenticeship by getting Monroe’s house music group in his Bean Blossom celebrations. It had been after those performances how the Brays landed these radio gig, which shortly led to a Grand Ole Opry appearance and a agreement with Liberty Information. When their debut didn’t make any significant noise, the music group was forced to return into the labor force as shows became few in number. In 1971, Nate Bray would perish of Hodgkin’s disease and a tribute entitled 419 W. Primary was compiled from the Bray Brothers radio shows. Further compiling resulted in 1976’s Prairie Bluegrass, that was re-released by Rounder in the springtime of 2000 with prodigal bonus tracks.