Bluegrass Monday to Feature Williamson Branch for a Holiday-Themed Concert
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In photo, left to right, Melody Williamson Keyes, Debbie Williamson, Caroline Williamson, Kevin Williamson and Kadence Williamson Reynolds
JONESBORO – Bluegrass and acoustic music ensemble Williamson Branch will perform favorite melodies for the holiday season at the next KASU-FM Bluegrass Monday concert. The show will be held on Monday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. at Collins Theatre, located at 120 West Emerson Street, in downtown Paragould.
Based in Nashville, Williamson Branch is a family band consisting of a mom, dad and their three adult daughters. The group records for the esteemed Pinecastle bluegrass record label.
The band has achieved multiple No. 1 hit bluegrass songs in their 10-year career as a professional ensemble.In concert, the family performs a mixture of bluegrass, gospel and country music. For this performance, the band will play music for the holiday season. The group is well-known for their high-energy, entertaining, and family-friendly shows.
At the beginning of the pandemic, when the band was unable to tour and perform for live audiences, they began to produce daily live videos online. In the two years that followed, Williamson Branch gained over 450,000 Facebook followers, and their videos have been viewed over 100 million times.
Patriarch Kevin Williamson was introduced to bluegrass music at a young age. As a teenager, Kevin played in the bands of acclaimed bluegrass artists Glenn Duncan and Dave Evans, appearing on CDs produced by both of them. Kevin later formed the band Redwing with his father, and that group recorded and toured across North America for a decade. Kevin is also a past member of the Country Gentlemen and the Farm Hands.His wife Debbie Williamson comes from a musical family, but she was not introduced to bluegrass music until she met Kevin. They were married in 1991 and formed the band Shadow Ridge. Debbie also released a solo CD in 1996 to critical acclaim.
Melody Williamson Keyes first appeared onstage with her parents when she was only a toddler. She sings and plays fiddle in Williamson Branch and serves as the group’s onstage emcee. In 2020, she won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Momentum Vocalist of the Year award, an honor given to young, rising stars who bluegrass industry leaders feel will have a long, successful, and influential career.
Kadence Williamson Reynolds plays bass and sings. She has participated in Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars, which is a network of young bluegrass performers, and in the IBMA’s Kids in Bluegrass program. Along with her sister Melody, she contributes original melodies to the band’s repertoire.
Caroline Williamson is known to “steal the show” at the band’s concerts. She sings and plays fiddle, mandolin, and ukulele. She is also a member of Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars. With her sisters, Caroline incorporates Appalachian clog dancing into the group’s live performances.
Seating at the concert is first-come, first-served. Doors to the theatre will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 per person, payable by cash at the door the night of the concert. Everyone 18 and under will be admitted free. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.kasu.org/tickets. Bluegrass Mondays are a non-profit event, and 100% of ticket proceeds go to the performers.The concerts are held on the fourth Monday night of each month and are presented with support from sponsors including the Paragould Advertising & Promotion Commission, Bibb Chiropractic Center, Gardner-Milner Law Firm, the Posey Peddler, Hyde Park Café, Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Paragould, and KASU.
KASU is the public media service of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro broadcasting at 91.9 FM and streaming on a variety of online platforms. For more information, contact KASU Program Director Marty Scarbrough at mscarbro@AState.edu or 870-972-2367. Additional information is also available on the Bluegrass Monday Facebook page.
