The Gordons (duo)
Encyclopedia
The Gordons are a folk music
duo consisting of Gary Gordon and Roberta Gordon, who are husband and wife. They have been performing professionally since 1973.
They have been bringing their folk
, bluegrass
, and country music
blend to audiences since the 1970s, when they began touring throughout the Midwestern United States
, playing clubs, fairs, festivals and colleges. The husband and wife duo has also become popular in the Carolinas, the Northeastern United States
, and in Europe
.
In 1989 they recorded with Dobroist Josh Graves and bluegrass fiddler Kenny Baker
, from Bill Monroe
's band, The Bluegrass Boys. The resulting album was Old Time Radio Show. The Gordons released Wasn't Born To Follow one year later; this was a more country flavored record, featuring fiddler Wade Ray.
In 1996, The Gordons toured Ireland, and performed live in Dublin on Ireland's RTE
television network. End of a Long Hard Day was released in 1997; this album was hailed by critic Edward Morris of Billboard, who stated "the Gordons bring to mind that most listenable of all bluegrass bands, the great Flatt & Scruggs." The national folk music
magazine, Dirty Linen, wrote that the album "is touching, sad and beautiful".
A live record chronicling their tours in Europe arrived in 1999, titled "Live in Holland". The Gordons released Time Will Tell Our Story in 2002, with guest musicians Alison Brown
and Robert Bowlin
. Our Time followed in 2008 on their own label. In 2008, Our Time was played so often on folk and bluegrass radio shows that it ranked as the #10 record of the year on folk radio.
Occasionally, they tour with a larger ensemble, including David Johnson, the longtime fiddler for Randy Travis
.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
duo consisting of Gary Gordon and Roberta Gordon, who are husband and wife. They have been performing professionally since 1973.
They have been bringing their folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
blend to audiences since the 1970s, when they began touring throughout the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
, playing clubs, fairs, festivals and colleges. The husband and wife duo has also become popular in the Carolinas, the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
In 1989 they recorded with Dobroist Josh Graves and bluegrass fiddler Kenny Baker
Kenny Baker (musician)
Kenneth Clayton Baker was an American fiddle player best known for his 25-year tenure with Bill Monroe and his group The Bluegrass Boys.-Biography:...
, from Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
's band, The Bluegrass Boys. The resulting album was Old Time Radio Show. The Gordons released Wasn't Born To Follow one year later; this was a more country flavored record, featuring fiddler Wade Ray.
In 1996, The Gordons toured Ireland, and performed live in Dublin on Ireland's RTE
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
television network. End of a Long Hard Day was released in 1997; this album was hailed by critic Edward Morris of Billboard, who stated "the Gordons bring to mind that most listenable of all bluegrass bands, the great Flatt & Scruggs." The national folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
magazine, Dirty Linen, wrote that the album "is touching, sad and beautiful".
A live record chronicling their tours in Europe arrived in 1999, titled "Live in Holland". The Gordons released Time Will Tell Our Story in 2002, with guest musicians Alison Brown
Alison Brown
Alison Brown is an American banjo player and guitarist known for a soft nylon-string banjo sound. She has won and has been nominated on several Grammy awards and is often compared to another banjo prodigy, Béla Fleck for her unique style of playing...
and Robert Bowlin
Robert Bowlin
Robert Bowlin is an award-winning American bluegrass and country musician.-Biography:Bowlin started playing ukelele when he was one, and by the time he was five years old he had picked up the guitar....
. Our Time followed in 2008 on their own label. In 2008, Our Time was played so often on folk and bluegrass radio shows that it ranked as the #10 record of the year on folk radio.
Occasionally, they tour with a larger ensemble, including David Johnson, the longtime fiddler for Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
.
Discography
- 1976 Southern Illinois Bluegrass (Crusade LP896)
- 1977 Covered Bridge (Crusade LP798)
- 1989 Old Time Radio Show
- 1990 Wasn't Born to Follow (Alligator Music)
- 1992 Best of The Gordons (Street Level Records)
- 1995 Family Bible (Alligator Music)
- 1997 End Of A Long Hard DayEnd of a Long Hard DayEnd Of A Long Hard Day was released by folk music duo The Gordons in 1997 on Reception Records. It was produced by Gary Gordon and Curtis Jay Hiner, with executive producer Kevin Graham. It was recorded at Noteworthy Studio in Carbondale, Illinois, engineered by Todd Freeman, and mixed at Mainframe...
(Reception Records) - 1999 Live In Holland (Strictly Country Records)
- 2002 Time Will Tell Our StoryTime Will Tell Our StoryTime Will Tell Our Story was released by folk music duo The Godons in 2002. It was produced by Gary Gordon and Roberta Gordon. It was engineered by Mark Stoffel at Roan Pony Studio in Murphysboro, Illinois; Tim Carter at TreeHouse Studio in Ridgetop, Tennessee; and Mark Howard at Signal Path in...
(Blueberry Hill Records) - 2008 Our TimeOur TimeOur Time was released by folk music duo The Gordons on March 19, 2008. It was recorded and engineered, mixed, and mastered by Gary Gordon at Inside-Out Studio in Sparta, Illinois.-Track listing:#"I Can't Settle Down" - 2:48...
(Inside-Out Records)