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Catching up with the Avett Brothers

By Kristin Day
mixer

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

National recognition has been a slow, gritty, gradual process bearing a lot of hard work for The Avett Brothers — not exactly how Scott Avett thought it would be.

They've certainly learned some hard lessons of getting a band from small-town North Carolina recognized. Like, don't play on someone else's street corner in San Francisco. They're a bit territorial out there.

But one day, eventually, there it was: Fame.

“When you're on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry or have two sold-out shows back-to-back, you think it's spread,” Scott said. “There are indications there's an audience for it. It's proof.”

It's safe to say they've made their way out of Concord.

The Avett Brothers have put together 11 CDs since 2000 and in 2007, they made their television debut on “Late Night with Conan O'Brien.”

Their music has been featured on “Friday Night Lights” and their album “Emotionalism” premiered at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart; No. 134 on the Billboard 200. “Marley & Me” author John Grogan even gave them a shoutout in a January issue of “Time Magazine.”

During, perhaps, their biggest year yet, they'll be opening for Widespread Panic and the Dave Matthews Band this spring. Their first record to be released under Columbia drops June 2.

But their beginnings are still somewhat grounded in Greenville and the East Carolina University community.

Scott Avett (vocals, banjo, drums) graduated from ECU in 2000. During those college years, Bob Crawford (vocals, stand-up bass) was in Charlotte while Seth Avett (vocals, guitar, high-hat, keys, drums) was out of state. But even with the distance, Scott and Seth would write songs over the phone and, ultimately, start playing around Greenville.

They would gig at house parties, the Perculator (now Starlight Café), and, of course, Peasants a few times — places Scott calls the “anchor clubs” that were around here for years.

They also played at Chico's in Winterville. When told they didn't showcase live music anymore, Scott laughed. “We might've helped destroy that,” he said.

To them, Scott says, Greenville was a key part of picking up instruments that were relatively alien to them. Before The Avett Brothers, Scott and Seth were in a rock band with guitarist John Twomey called Nemo — a far cry from their current setup including a banjo and cello (courtesy of Joe Kwon).

“It was ironic in our circle of friends at the Backdoor Skate Park,” Scott said. “It was totally going against the grain of what we were used to.”

Nemo met its demise in 2001 as larger crowds began supporting their acoustic shows. That's also around the time when they embarked on nationwide tour, playing street corners, small clubs and wherever else someone would let them play.

“You think everyone's going to want you to play at their place, but they don't,” Scott said.

After that letdown they just kept working, put out several CDs under Ramseur Records and eventually got attention from major labels. The latest record, yet to be titled, is almost complete, Scott says. And they'll be touring from April until “who knows when” to promote it.

“I didn't think it was impossible,” Scott said. “I used to think it just comes to you. I think it might happen to people in New York, but for us, being from Smalltown, North Carolina, I started questioning whether this would happen.”

“... I think the sky's the limit,” he continued. “I know our worth and I feel like so many people don't know what their worth is. It's not so crazy as it seems. But when I look at the steps, it's a lot of work, too. And it's worth it.”

Scott says he still comes to Greenville — a little saddened over how things have changed — but he says they'd love to bring a show back into town, possibly a double-bill with Valient Thorr, if they could just find the right venue.

“We owe a show to Greenville,” he said.

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Contact Kristin Day at kday@coxnc.com or (252) 329-9579.