The Brother’s Young
Happily, you may have noticed that an increasing number of young people are playing in top bluegrass bands or leading their own bands. Names like Wyatt Ellis, Gibson Davis, Liam Purcell, Noah Goebel, Sammy Mougin, Ashlyn Smith, and the Sullivan Sisters are but a few. Add to that list The Brothers Young.
The Brothers Young, a hot new band out of Roanoke County, Virginia, has just released their first full album titled The Brothers Young. Ayden Young (19) plays banjo and handles lead vocals, and his younger brother Blane (14) plays mandolin, sings harmony, and is a very funny kid. They are joined by a gifted guitarist, Stefan Kraft, who plays in a style reminiscent of George Schuffler and Don Reno. The lone old-timer in the band is bassist Steve Farmer, and he lets his bass do most of his talking! The Brothers Young play over 200 gigs a year, ranging from nursing homes, churches, local TV stations, and now bigger stages like WoodSongs for Kids, The Galax Old Time Fiddler’s Convention, The Floyd Country Store, The Harvester in Rocky Mount, Virginia, Five Points Music Sanctuary and The Coffee Pot in Roanoke, and soon, The Graves Mountain Music Festival.
Ayden and Blane are multi-instrumentalists, and they also have their own jazz band, The 6100 Jazz Duo, but that is for another magazine to cover! The Brothers Young are unapologetically and happily a traditional bluegrass band, and their goal is to honor the first generation or “fathers” of Bluegrass. Ayden is a hard-driving Scruggs-style player who reminds me of a young Terry Baucom or Jim Mills. Ayden has placed highly at Galax, both in the youth and adult divisions. Blane, a disciple of Bill Monroe, has placed third in Youth mandolin and first in the Youth Bluegrass Band division. Blane is a great tenor singer who has just pushed through the proverbial teenage voice change and has regained his ability to sing tenor!
In 2020, the brothers were privileged to record songs at Mt. Fever Records with Junior Sisk and in 2024 with Bent Mountain. To be clear, The Brothers Young is way more than a cover band. They write and perform their own music as well as many standards. Their goal is always to engage their audience, regardless of the song. On their new album, the instrumental “Black Walnut Hills” is a top-notch instrumental written by Ayden.
Victor Dowdy, bassist and lead singer of The Bluegrass Brothers Band, recently saw The Brothers Young in concert and told me he was impressed not only with their playing but also with their stage presence. “These kids are dang good!”
My two favorite songs on the album are “Big Spike Hammer” and “Rolling in My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” both of which offer outstanding instrumental breaks and strong vocals. My favorite instrumental track, and one that is incredibly difficult to play on the banjo, is Don Reno’s “Follow the Leader.” Ayden, like Reno, does some hot, funky licks that leave you wondering how he does what he does.
The sleeper song on the album is an old Ralph Stanley gospel number from 1968 that will be new to many of you. “White Oak On The Hill” features soulful, lonesome vocals reminiscent of Carter and Ralph, as well as many other brother duos.
Speaking again of young artists, the creative cover art was a commission piece done by a teenage friend, Ysabelle Dalton, who hand-drew the boys in bolo ties in the style of Flatt and Scruggs’ little-known 1968 album, Songs to Cherish.
As good as this first album is, try to catch The Brothers Young live. They are super fun entertainers, and their brotherly chemistry is unmistakable. In a short time, it will be fun to see these young fellas playing at The Station Inn and The Opry.
