Cherryholmes - Do they ever smile? [Archive]

greg_tsam

Oct-20-2008, 6:44pm

northfolk

Oct-20-2008, 7:29pm

I have seen Cherryholmes on two different occasions; they smiled throughout the performance as well as after during the autograph session. I found them to be very friendly and personable folks. :)):mandosmiley:

Mark Walker

Oct-20-2008, 7:37pm

You know, that's an interesting observation. I saw them for the first time in 2004 at the Tri-State Bluegrass festival in Kendallville, IN, and again earlier this year at Miller Auditorium in Kalamazoo, MI. They put on phenomenal shows both times, but I believe the ONLY member of the family who smiled at ALL was the mother - Sandy Lee.

It may be 'part of the act' - that they simply stand up there with little interaction (Jere - the father - seems to be the primary 'spokesman' and MC), don't smile, but play kick-butt music. Or perhaps the kids feel enslaved to the wishes of the parents? Lord knows any of them could individually stand on their own with any top-tier bluegrass band!

But it is a curiosity, to be sure. :confused:

Mike Bromley

Oct-20-2008, 7:46pm

Oh brother. This issue grabs me by the throat by times. I have a naturally laconic expression, plus a bad case of mando face, which stirs up the impulse in many audience members to come forward and tell me that I need to smile more.

The dangdest thing is, I'm enjoying myself immensely. I can't change the face that genetics bestowed upon me. I feel like the 'possum who didn't, which is the story of a possum who, although very happy, was deemed unhappy because he hung upside down and therefore his smile looked like a pout....and all of society lived vicariously through him until he became sad for real.

I kind of envy those who can smile effortlessly while screaming through a complex musical passage, but I'm not one of them, I guess. My advice is to listen rather than look....

....and never having seen Cherryholmes, I couldn't comment, but from what I hear, they kick butt. And if they can do that while looking like they're having a bad day, good on 'em. MusicFace is a unique expression...I always loved Mon's crooked grimace when he soloed, nobody walked up to him and suggested he should do otherwise.

Sorry, I had to jump in. :mandosmiley:~:>

Mark Walker

Oct-20-2008, 8:02pm

Mandoflash - interesting comments as well. I'm in a Gospel Bluegrass band, and we try to smile as often as possible while performing. I quite often will look at the other members (well, to be fair, I'm the only GUY in the band - the lone male guitarist with three women who play bass, mandolin, and fiddle, and whose vocals are stellar) and I'll often grin at them when playing or doing an instrumental solo or whatever.

But your observation that 'anyone who can kick butt and do it while looking like they're having a bad day...' - that's rich! :mandosmiley:
And you're right of course! :) No apologies for chiming in necessary!

Mike Bunting

Oct-20-2008, 8:13pm

Never noticed.

walt33

Oct-20-2008, 8:25pm

I'm the only GUY in the band - the lone male guitarist with three women who play bass, mandolin, and fiddle . . .

Sounds like a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it. Poor you! :grin:

Walt

Mike Snyder

Oct-20-2008, 8:34pm

I have not seen them for six years, or so, but I can assure you that they were very friendly and down-to-earth at that time. Pa and the boys jammed in the campground with some less than stellar pickers, and were very gracious about it. At that time, the younger girl seemed a little stage shy. Cherryholmes has become MUCH more popular since then, and the music has changed some.
Seems to be less straight bluegrass, more (searching for the right word) not bluegrass, I guess. Perhaps the new non-smiley stage persona is all part of the same. Seems a shame, they were an
extremely talented, personable, good looking family band with somewhat of an edge. I always thought that their vocal blend would put them over the top. They were smiling the last I saw of them.

Patrick Sylvest

Oct-20-2008, 8:41pm

Remember the Dillards on Andy Griffith?....now there was one excited bunch of pickers!

Mike Bromley

Oct-20-2008, 8:52pm

Remember the Dillards on Andy Griffith?....now there was one excited bunch of pickers!

Those guys (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RpKhWePGNPc&feature=related)were wacky! However, check out Doug D.....he's giving Andy the Evil Eye! There's Clarence and Roland as well.

This concoction eventually became the the Kentucky Colonels, and look out!

I would have loved to see them.

Bruce Evans

Oct-20-2008, 9:05pm

I think the only thing worse than a performer who never smiles is one who looks to be in pain by trying to force a smile because s/he has been told to.

Mike Bromley

Oct-20-2008, 9:13pm

I think the only thing worse than a performer who never smiles is one who looks to be in pain by trying to force a smile because s/he has been told to.

You get a medal.

Stephen Lind

Oct-20-2008, 10:41pm

[QUOTE=greg_tsam;590570

I get depressed looking at them.[/QUOTE]

so don't

btw
don't worry, they're fine

f5loar

Oct-20-2008, 11:43pm

Never saw Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys smile on stage. Serious pickers that take their pickin' serious. No room for smiles. The Cherries are serious pickers therefore no need to smile. One thing for sure is they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Bertram Henze

Oct-21-2008, 1:50am

Oh brother. This issue grabs me by the throat by times. I have a naturally laconic expression, plus a bad case of mando face, which stirs up the impulse in many audience members to come forward and tell me that I need to smile more.

Same for me. I am always told not to scowl at people, while all I do is concentrate.

But it's not so bad. The only people who smile constantly live in Florida, occasionally are caught in other people's swimming pools and are called alligators. I don't need that. :mad: ;)

Bertram

Ivan Kelsall

Oct-21-2008, 2:43am

Whether they smile or not,i think that they are a great band,especially Cia Leigh,she's got to be one of the best young Banjo players around & they rest of the family are great as well.
I posted a link on another threadto a YouTube clip of Bill Monroe playing Goldrush,with Byron Berline's band,California. He comes on stage after being introduced all smiles. One 'Cafe member posted a note :- Quote " Heck !, i didn't even know the guy had teeth" - that totally cracked me up,
Saska :grin:

man dough nollij

Oct-21-2008, 2:51am

Smilin' ain't no part of nothin'. Nope.

jim_n_virginia

Oct-21-2008, 7:40am

I've seen them and it never occured to me that they don't smile however I have had a LOT of people tell me I ought to smile more when I am on stage! :grin:

Chris Travers

Oct-21-2008, 8:20am

Ken Froman

Oct-21-2008, 11:10am

I did a few TV shows couple of years ago First thing I noticed when I seen the tape was my lack of smiles. Now I try harder. !

woodwizard

Oct-21-2008, 11:43am

Definitely!

I'll 3rd that! Very friendly bunch. :)

Mike Bromley

Oct-21-2008, 11:54am

Same for me. I am always told not to scowl at people, while all I do is concentrate.

But it's not so bad. The only people who smile constantly live in Florida, occasionally are caught in other people's swimming pools and are called alligators. I don't need that. :mad: ;)

Bertram

One time, during a break, I was walking towards the bar, when this woman came up to me and hollered: "why are you staring at me like that?" I mean, she was billigerent. I asked her, first of all, to let go of me, then told her that I wasn't staring at her. She refused to believe me, and pressed on with her accusation. So, I hauled her up on the stage to where I was standing and told her to face the audience. There was a 1000-watt stage spot with a red gel full-on in her face, and I said: "tell me what you see". She shut up.

While trying to remain gracious with audience members, I really think that people with rescue-complexes should not go to live shows...:)):whistling::popcorn:

45ACP-GDLF5

Oct-21-2008, 12:21pm

Those guys (http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RpKhWePGNPc&feature=related)were wacky! However, check out Doug D.....he's giving Andy the Evil Eye! There's Clarence and Roland as well.

This concoction eventually became the the Kentucky Colonels, and look out!

I would have loved to see them.

I think you're mixing up two seperate bands. The Dillards played "The Darlings" which was Doug and Rodney Dillard, Dean Webb, and Mitch Jayne.

The Country Boys/Kentucky Colonels were Roland and Clarence White, Eric White Jr. Leroy Mack, and Billy Ray Lathum. Both bands were on TAGS, but the Kentucky Colonels were in just 1 episode, while the Dillards were in 6 as "The Darlings"

45ACP-GDLF5

Oct-21-2008, 12:31pm

Cherryholmes smile on stage every now and then. Jere doesn't smile that much, but when he's off stage, he's pretty friendly. I just seen them last month and they put on a heck of a show, as usual. They write their own music, which takes a LOT of talent. Most bands rarely write their own music.

I pre-ordered their new CD "Don't Believe" (autographed) and the music is incredible! They keep getting better every year!

Weagle

Oct-21-2008, 12:46pm

The times I have seen the family on stage majority of the time they are looking serious and play seriously. When they stop and talk about about each other all smiles. Very nice folks to talk to when not on stage.

I have the same problem Mandoflash was talking about. Having that non-smiling look when I am playing mandolin. My wife gets on me all the time. I can smile while playing the guitar. Go figure.

Weagle

greg_tsam

Oct-21-2008, 12:49pm

Nice comments. I've been on both sides of the smile/don't smile fence. Depends on my mood and who I'm picking with. I like the smiles more. It's engaging and helps me get out of my own headspace and connect with the other players which I feel is very important to playing in a group.

I have been straight faced and serious, as well, but I don't take Harley pics and act tough while holding my mandolin. haha.. That shot just cracks me up and reminds me of adolescent teens pretending to be tough guys.

Obviously they are talented and I'm sure that they are friendly and cordial considering what they do for a living. But my initial comment was motivated from their promo shots at their website and the bios. No smiles anywhere on the site. When you smile, the whole world smiles with you.

As for the people who get irritated when others say they need to smile more, I hear ya brothers. I was once like you. Those comments drove me to drink and scowl more. lol

Then I had my beautiful son and the world changed. I haven't stopped smiling since.

mandocaster

Oct-21-2008, 1:07pm

I like Cherryholmes. I liked them when I first heard their stuff on XM radio. I didn't know they were a family band until later, and I didn't know they didn't smile until I read this thread. I still like them.

I saw a really good mandolin player recently that had somehow programmed himself to look up and smirk quickly every eight bars or so. It looked very artificial, and was actually quite distracting. I think the moral is that if you are having a good time on stage, don't forget to smile. Try not to scowl. Try not to mug for the audience like a used car salesman eying a rube.

pocketbones

Oct-21-2008, 2:09pm

Even their website doesn't show any pictures were these people smile and it jinda gives me the heebee jeebees. :grin:

They do have a family pic on harleys trying to look biker tough. I saw them on video and they're talented but I get depressed looking at them. Who wants to be bummed out while listening to music?

Am I the only one that this bothers? Just curious.

I ate breakfast with the whole Cherryholmes family at Denny's once and they smiled the whole time.

They also talked and laughed and chewed and swallowed their food.:)

Jordan Ramsey

Oct-21-2008, 3:22pm

I'm sure it's all image related. As many have attested, they are really friendly folks and do smile regularly, just not in promo shots and on stage. I think that the business and promotional attitudes that exist in the Nashville mainstream are creeping into the newer bluegrass arena as well. The band used to be the Cherryholmes Family Band, but dropped the family moniker to lessen the "wholesome" image that is associated with family bands, and to be taken more seriously as a professional outfit. The last CD cover that I saw had them in all leather with lightening bolts coming out of the sky. I don't think smiles would have fit the "image" of the cover.

Jordan Ramsey
http://www.myspace.com/crosspicker
----------------
'07 Gibson Sam Bush
'08 Weber Fern

Andy Nichols

Oct-21-2008, 5:23pm

I've only saw them once.(at spgma about 3 yrs. ago) They were high energy ,seemed happy, and for sure brought the house down.They were so good I didn't notice if they were smiling. My wife ,two daughters, and myself have a gospel band.Folks have told me that the girls need to smile more.I say they're just concentrating and focusing on what they're doing.
That doesn't mean they aren't enjoying themselves.Kenny Baker never cracked a smile while on stage.

Mike Bromley

Oct-21-2008, 7:06pm

I think you're mixing up two seperate bands.

I think yer right! Me and my over-eager-running-off-at-the-post done got me in contextual fracas again....:redface:

Mike Bromley

Oct-21-2008, 7:11pm

They also talked and laughed and chewed and swallowed their food.:)

If they emitted a lusty belch and roared away on some old hogs, would they have destroyed your impressions?

:disbelief:

SGraham

Oct-21-2008, 9:47pm

Is the OP smiling in his avatar?

Steve

MarthaWhitePicker

Oct-22-2008, 1:43am

There are two different photos of them on Harleys. Here is the story behind the first photo. The Cherryholmes were asked to perform at a Bike Show in NC. So to be nice to the promoter(who by the way is a top notch fellow) they decided to have a press photo taken with them on harleys. So here is the twist unbeknown to the Cherryholmes it was a bicycle show not a B-I-K-E show! :))
The second photo is from their newest CD. The red Harley they are sitting on is my Dads, along with the bagpipes sandi is holding.

Ivan Kelsall

Oct-22-2008, 1:45am

With all those whiskers,how could you tell if Jere was smiling anyway ?. When i hear them play,they make ME smile & that's the main thing,
Saska:grin:

Dennis Ladd

Oct-22-2008, 4:03pm

Here's a quote from my favorite bluegrass band novel: "Come and Go Molly Snow" by Mary Ann Taylor Hall. It's about a woman fiddle player trying to play in an otherwise all male bluegrass band.

The quote: "As with most bluegrass bands, it was Hawktown's practice to stand stock-still up there, not even tapping a toe, looking at their flying fingers with deep puzzled interest as though they'd never seen them before in their lives and couldn't say what they might do next."

I laughed with recognition when I read that. Hey, it's hard work up there when you're taking your break!

Dennis Ladd

pickinNgrinnin

Oct-22-2008, 10:27pm

I saw them play a couple of weeks ago. Fantastic show! They have really notched up their musicianship since I last caught them.

I suppose it's hard to smile while you are up on stage kicking ### on an instrumental run :mandosmiley:

Ivan Kelsall

Oct-23-2008, 1:48am

If i was playing in a band as accomplished as they are,i'd have a terminal grin on my face all the time,
Saska :grin:

Bertram Henze

Oct-23-2008, 2:13am

greg_tsam

Oct-23-2008, 3:13am

Reading all the replies from this thread has made me smile and laugh.

Mike Bromley

Oct-23-2008, 11:15am

Can't say from my own experience, but when I see them dance in perfect coordination around a minority of microphones and around each other in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIyVSjg_1JE) - well, I wouldn't have time to smile either, if I had to do that.

Bertram

Amen. That kind of exciting coordination is what got me drawn to the music in the first place. I wouldn't care a hoot if they were all grimacing like gargoyles!:mandosmiley:

MikeEdgerton

Oct-29-2008, 9:59am

You might want to learn how to spell the man's name before you take him to task. He has used that same schtick in every one of their shows I've seen (5 or 6 in the last 4 years) and has been using it since I first saw them years ago. This sort of canned stage banter is actually quite common among performing bands. Apparently what you have taken offense to isn't widely seen as offensive. When I first saw them they were driving a late 40's/early 50's bus. The one they have now is much newer. I take that to reflect a bit on their success. As for garish costumes, I'd say that is a common thread in the music business as well. Quite the first post.

Danrich

Oct-29-2008, 10:13am

Yeah, I'm a bad speller... and I used the word "condem" when I meant "condone". I love repeated jokes as much as the next guy. That one is not funny. I'm glad I'll never have to hear it again. I bet those poor kids will.

Lucky them.

MikeEdgerton

Oct-29-2008, 10:27am

No, his name is Jere, not Jerry. I never take anyone to task for spelling. You might want to ease up a bit, your post is borderline now. Thanks.

Danrich

Oct-29-2008, 10:33am

Borderline, perhaps. Not as borderline as the comments made Mr. Jere, n'est pas?

JEStanek

Oct-29-2008, 10:43am

Perhaps a review of the Posting Guidelines (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/faq.php) (specifically the first one) is on order. Jere can say and do whatever he wants on stage. This isn't a stage.

jamie

Danrich

Oct-29-2008, 10:47am

then he should (and anyone else for that matter) be subjected to the consequences of behaving like a malevolent bully.

JEStanek

Oct-29-2008, 10:57am

Perhaps, this isn't the place for you to do that. What you seem to want to do is beyond the scope and guidelines of this site. There are many other places on the net where you can act on your observations and opinions in as strong a voice as you seem fit. You ought to take advantage of those other resources.

Jamie

Scott Tichenor

Oct-29-2008, 11:05am

I've removed the post in question here which was clearly an inappropriate use of this forum and will not be tolerated, particularly by an anonymous user.

Keith Erickson

Oct-29-2008, 3:39pm

Just my opinion but I'm not sure why there is so much negativity about Cherry Holmes.

Ok So What??? Cherry Holmes does or doesn't smile. My question is: Did you enjoy their music and their show?

I've seen Ottmar Liebert twice and both times, he didn't say one single solitary word. ....and these 2 shows were in the top 5 that I've seen during my short but middle aged lifetime.

Each artist has their own style. Maybe it's just Cherry Holmes style............they must be doing something right :mandosmiley:

greg_tsam

Oct-29-2008, 6:24pm

As the one who started this thread allow me to say I did not make any statement towards their musicality or their abilities as musicians in general. Also, it was not my intention to start a flame war or give others a chance to voice negative opinions.

There have been strong opinions on both sides which is common in a group so large and diverse. As long as people can discuss this thread in a rational, polite and courteous way, there is no reason to be upset. But that's in a perfect world.

Smile or don't smile. Grimace, snarl or growl. Stand on your head, stand on stage like a wooden indian stoically viewing the masses or shake your tail feather. Your choice, your preference and your opinion. It says nothing about the music and I didn't imply that it did. Relax, people. I wanted a discussion not an argument

My thoughts were more about stage presence and showmanship.

JEStanek

Oct-29-2008, 6:36pm

I believe practically all of us got that, Greg. It has been an interesting discussion.

Jamie

M Hollen

Oct-29-2008, 8:53pm

I saw them at Beanblossom this year and I have to agree with the comment made earlier, Mom smiled a lot on stage. They were all very nice and easy to talk to off stage.

tango_grass

Oct-30-2008, 4:02am

Well, I just got their newest album, III: Don't Believe. And I must say, its good listening, with some tasty licks thrown in for good measure. As for the smiling issue, yeah, they could crack one now and again. But I guarantee this, they are smiling all the way to the bank!

Now, My one issue with this album, they decided to cover the country/bluegrass standard: Christine's Tune(Devil In Disguise).
Well, they credit it to Graham Parsons and Chris Hillman.
:mad:

It's Gram!!
I'm sorry, normally I'm reserved about these things, but Gram is one of my hero's, and one of the icons of the Country/Rock movement of the late 60's and early 70's, surely someone could have advised them!! Ahh shucks, better luck next time....

now back to your regularly scheduled program....

greg_tsam

Oct-30-2008, 4:53am

Gram deserves to be mentioned accurately.

fiddledoc

Oct-30-2008, 10:37am

Jere is a former Navy Seal. Most of those guys don't smile much. Really though, I see Jere or the kids about once a month in the shop and they are always cheery.

blacksmith

Oct-30-2008, 11:07am

Not wanting to be left out i'll put my oar in. You go to a concert for the music. Close your eyes: if you're groovin' to the tunes, it's a good show. It's like hot dogs, you don't necessarily want to see how they're made but you sure enjoy the finished product.

MarthaWhitePicker

Oct-30-2008, 11:42am

That was the greatest post ever! I have heard it all the cherryholmes compared to some tasty hotdogs!!!!!!!:)) :grin:

JEStanek

Oct-30-2008, 11:51am

Blacksmith,

I'll respectfully disagree on why I go to a concert. I go for the music, sure, but, I also go to see the act. I get a better connection with the artists seeing them interact with each other and with the audience. If I wasn't interested in seeing them, I would save the money and listen to the CDs I have.

Different acts use different showmanship styles. Each works with audiences with varying degrees of sucess. Some folks like the down home schtick, some folks want serious discussion about the tunes, some folks want the band to just play, some folks just don't care either way.

For me, the hot dog analogy is more like how they practice their showmanship and practice playing their music so much that it comes off as easy when they are performing on stage. Who wants to think about how hard it is to play together, that well! I want to able to play that way with seemingly no work going into it. ;)

Jamie

MikeEdgerton

Oct-30-2008, 11:55am

Along with everything else the Cherryholmes are a great act to watch. They have the single mic choreography down. Anyone that has ever played with a single mic will appreciate that part of the show, perhaps as much as the music. When the kids were really young it was really cute to see them scampering in and out of position.

mrbook

Oct-30-2008, 12:25pm

Whenever my band gets formal pictures taken, someone suggests we do one where everyone looks angry, like so many other (non-bluegrass) band photos we see. No one can keep a straight face when we try.

Sometimes people tell me I should smile more while playing, and I jokingly reply that I can't because I'm playing serious music. Most times I thought I was smiling - go figure. I have a couple friends who always looked scared to death onstage, but only one is really as frightened as he appears. Don't always go by appearances - if they are good people who make good music, let them play, enjoy it, and try not to worry about the looks.

blacksmith

Oct-30-2008, 12:29pm

No problem with the disagree, Jamie, you explained your preferences well. And reading about the single mic thing put me in mind of when I went to see The Doerfel Family. I hadn't heard of them before, when they went up on stage I thought, oh great, a kid band. Then they fired up. Gosh golly they were one of the tightest bands I'd ever seen. The "schtick" was a little annoying at times, ie: the jostling for mic position, but they could back it up with solid enjoyable music. I could well appreciate the work it must have taken to make those hot dogs.

pocketbones

Oct-30-2008, 1:00pm

Jere is a former Navy Seal. Most of those guys don't smile much. Really though, I see Jere or the kids about once a month in the shop and they are always cheery.

i thought somebody told someone else that told me that jere has trouble passing gas. maybe thats the reason for his inability to smile. sometimes.

greg_tsam

Oct-30-2008, 1:46pm

Maybe if he ate too many hotdogs with chili and cheese he'd have trouble passing gas? I dunno. It always has the opposite effect for me.:whistling:

45ACP-GDLF5

Oct-30-2008, 4:17pm

Cia Leigh and I have always smiled each time we've had our picture taken together! :cool:

MikeEdgerton

Oct-30-2008, 4:45pm

i thought somebody told someone else that told me that jere has trouble passing gas. maybe thats the reason for his inability to smile. sometimes.

Maybe if he ate too many hotdogs with chili and cheese he'd have trouble passing gas? I dunno. It always has the opposite effect for me.:whistling:

Get back on subject guys, this is a family forum.

pocketbones

Oct-31-2008, 1:20pm

Get back on subject guys, this is a family forum.

cia did hug my neck not oncet, but twicet during the IBMA this year. she was smilling both times.

Jim

Nov-01-2008, 11:17am

the Cherryholmes family play at a club where I ran sound 6 or 7 years ago. They seemed very cheerful for the entire performance and quite friendly after. I can't smile on que, never have been able to. When playing I do try not to stick my tounge out of the corner of my mouth but if I am really concentrating I probably will. I did learn to move about some to look like I was enjoying myself on stage but the single mike dance has got to be hard. Single mike no monitors sure is easy to run sound for though.

Keith Erickson

Nov-01-2008, 12:11pm

:popcorn:

Christopher Howard-Williams

Nov-02-2008, 2:50am

I don't know about smiling but they sure looked like they were having a good time on stage when I saw them. If you look like you're having a good time, the audience will generally have a good time with you. It can work the other way too: if you sense the audience is having a good time, you play better and have a good time.
Jere's stories had us all laughing too. Good low key humour. What the French call "sourire en coin" (smile in the corner of the mouth).