Friday, November 15, 2013

My Family Band

This week I had a photoshoot by a friend of mine (local photographer Chris Schniering in Chattanooga), and we decided to go with the family 4 - as band pictures. 
 For those of you who don't know my band, I would like to talk about them and show my appreciation briefly!



First off there's Matt Gilbert my brother and partner in crime (music) ;-) He's been with me since I first picked up a guitar, we've written music together since we were kids and performed with me on almost every stage I can remember.... I don't know where I'd be without him!  He is much more of a musician than I'll ever be, he can play every instrument including bass, keys, guitars, drums, almost anything with strings and has a voice to be reckoned with - a much bigger range than any singer I've ever heard.  He is amazing, and I wanted to take the time to say thank-you to him for helping me so much on stage and creating music over the years - honestly he does it on his own very well and I am honored he has always been there to help me out :)

Next I wanted to give a shout-out to Casey Bryant, my newfound brother-in-law, who we just threw into the fire of it all just last year!  He and Sarah (my sister) got married last year, and upon hearing him play a bit I excitedly invited him to be a part of the 'real family' lol! I consider anyone I've every played with somewhat family, but I love the opportunity to play with my relations and siblings.  So he has owned and refined his guitar sound, and really grown as a guitar player this past year - he can definitely tell me what I'm doing wrong now, especially with tone and effects lol! I just really want to say thank-you to him for being so open to trying new things, and going new places.

Not pictured is my cousin Ben Phillips.  He has helped me out on countless records, and toured relentlessly with me and my brother Matt back in the day - since we were earliteens.  He is the best drummer, and the tightest I have ever performed with, and I love playing with him!  Just also wanted to say thank-you to him for helping me so much over the years and for going on adventures across the country - even to the point of living out of our van for a year with me and my brother and my wife (Jen) back in '09! We shared some crazy times, and some heartfelt music together, and for all of it I appreciate him! 

Also wanted to say thank-you to my newest member (pictured) my sister Sarah Bryant!  She has an amazing voice, and has joined us with that gift here and there over the years.  But I had always felt she was a shadow in the spotlight - not many people have heard her enough yet.  So I asked her to join us this year to be a part of it all, and hopefully give her more experience to sing more on her own!  She has also done a brave thing of taking on the keyboard parts in our latest tunes - she had always studied music as a child, and had professional voice/opera scholarships - but I really appreciate her jumping in on something a bit out of her element!

Others I'd like to say thank-you to are Carey Bryant and Jake Ketterer, both as good as brothers in my book!  Carey (Casey's brother) has just started working with us on drums for our new material.  And Jake and I go way back, he practically propelled me into music when I first moved out on my own. Jake has drummed with me on lots of occasions.   I don't know where I'd be without both of them!

Again, want to say thank-you for all my 'family' of musicians, and I look forward to doing more music and ministry in the days to come!!!



peace, & blessings,
-Josh

2 comments:

  1. It funny, how music brings family closer. When my brother started a band about 4 yrs ago..I had been a photographer for many years so I started filming his shows
    Prior to this we had grown apart bc we had nothing in common anymore. Now we talk everyday and we are closer then we have ever been. I enjoyed reading your blog. Look forward to your next entry.

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    1. Yeah totally! We have always had some things in common, but music has always been a shared thing for all of us - a common ground - and we dont fight about it either :-) we juat love playing music together, and I look at it now as my job to make it enjoyable for them, and as far from a point of contentment as possible - and definitely ministry first

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