Canadian icons The Good Brothers are kicking off the Newmarket Folk Society's fall line-up with a Sept. 28 concert.
The Good Brothers have been entertaining audiences for over 50 years and their latest album, Wide Awake Dreamin', aptly conveys how the brothers feel as they reflect on decades of writing, recording and performing music together, according to the folk society news release.
In 1970, twin brothers Bruce and Brian Good of Richmond Hill met James Ackroyd from Winnipeg and formed a band simply called James and The Good Brothers. Their first show was with Grand Fund Railroad at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Then came the cross-Canada tour on the outrageous Festival Express with such artists as The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Ian & Sylvia, Ten Years After, Traffic, The Band and others. With a little help from friends The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, they recorded their first album.
In 1973, Ackroyd choose to remain in the U.S. while the brothers returned home to Canada and recruited younger brother Larry. This was the beginning of a wonderful musical trip, The Good Brothers.
It wasn't long before they were packing Toronto's fabled El Mocambo five nights a week; breaking bar records, attendance records and exhausting determined dancers. They won eight straight Juno awards for Best Country Group, and headlined gigs at Toronto’s Massey Hall and Roy Thompson Hall, The National Art Centre in Ottawa and L.A.'s Universal Amphitheatre with their mentor Gordon Lightfoot. The group also earned a certified gold self-titled double album.
In 2004, they were inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and received two nominations for Country Group and Roots Artist of the year at the Canadian Country Music Awards. In 2015, they received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Toronto Musicians Association and, in 2016, were inducted into the North American Country Music Association International Hall of Fame in Tennessee.
In 2019, The Brothers received the Impact Award from The Country Music Association of Ontario which recognizes artists and individuals who have made a lasting impact on the landscape of country music in the province.
This year, The Good Brothers are off to Europe again, marking their 41st tour on the other side of the Atlantic. To see the brothers live is an experience not to be missed. The music, intertwined with side-splitting stories and song introductions are said to be as entertaining as their songs.
The warm family harmonies are still there on Wide Awake Dreamin’. Their music lives on and the songs still come straight from their hearts to your tapping toes and the smile on your face.
The concert starts at 8 p.m. and takes place at the Newmarket Legion at 707 Srigley St. Tickets, $30, can be purchased online (newmarketfolk.com) or by calling 705-431-7182 (leave a message).
