April 8, 2010
These days, the Sons of Sylvia have a supersized life. Opening the Carrie Underwood concerts, they get big arenas, big crowds, a big bus. "It's like a miracle," Austin Clark said. "You get out of a million-dollar bus and you think, 'Wow, I'm in a million-dollar bus.'" They've been in the spotlight before. Back when they were The Clark Brothers, they won the first and only edition of "The Next Great American Band," on Fox.
Still, none of this is their natural habitat. "We worked on the farm during the day," Clark said of his Virginia boyhood. "Then we'd sit around and pick ... We didn't watch TV; we'd swap licks all night." There were lots of people to swap with. The family had 11 kids (nine boys, two girls), forming a band that traveled with their dad when he was an evangelical preacher.
For Austin, child No. 6, this was arbitrary. "My dad said, 'Well, I guess we don't have a dobro.'" Like some arranged marriages, it clicked. "I love the dobro," he said "It's such a lonesome sound." That's a guitar-like instrument with metal cones. He still plays it, along with a resonator guitar, a steel guitar and more. The Clarks do a lot. "They are amazingly talented," Underwood said. "Ashley Clark ... was in my band when I first came off 'Idol.' We'd sing together in our shows, so I knew we sounded good together." At times, Austin also backed her. The brothers might have stayed in the background forever - except for "Great American Band."
Ashley, Austin and Adam formed a trio, got on the show and won a record deal. But this wasn't instant fame in the Carrie Underwood style. The album finally comes out April 27 - two-and-a-half years after their win.
The band changed names (to Sons of Sylvia) and evolved its style, with a rock rhythm under its bluegrass picking. Meanwhile, Underwood co-wrote a duet and asked the brothers to perform it with her on her current album. "We got into the studio and they completely transformed the song," she said. "They are so talented."
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All Photos Courtesy of Buffy Burton
As one of the two million people who watched FOX's Next Great American Band back in October 2007, I became a huge fan of the Virginia rooted trio of string pluckin' brothers who competed on the show. They called themselves The Clark Brothers. They blew me away with each performance and in the end, Adam, Ashley and Austin Clark came out winning the title of THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND. Included with their title, was a recording contract with 19 Entertainment. For two years they proceeded to work on their debut record.
In October of 2009, after changing their musical style and direction from The Clark Brothers... they decided to pay tribute to their Mother by renaming themselves... Sons of Sylvia. Their highly anticipated CD Revelation was finally released April 27, 2010. They are on tour presently, opening for Carrie Underwood until December 19, 2010. This forum is dedicated to posting reviews photos, updates and my own personal experiences from Sons of Sylvia's first tour... Special thanks go out to all those who have contributed to this blog...
Sons Of Sylvia
All Photos Courtesy of Buffy Burton
Adam Clark
Ashley Clark
Austin Clark
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