In an earlier post I covered the top 3 rockin’ family bands bands which included The Jonas Brothers, Hanson and of course The Jackson 5 (perhaps the most talented musical family out there simply because of Michael’s awesome voice and moves). Now it’s time to look at the next batch. This line-up is similar in that it encompasses both recent acts who have hit it big and those classic groups that were big when I was a kid. Both lists offer two things: they are an excellent reminder of great music that you can listen to with your kid and they show that families who stick together can sometimes accomplish great things. So here we go, round two of the top rockin’ families!
3) The Bacon Brothers
You may know Kevin Bacon from Apollo 13, A Few Good Men and Footloose. In his spare time Kevin has a pretty serious career as a musician with The Bacon Brothers. The band formed in 1995 (although they had known each other much longer) and consists of Kevin and his brother, Michael. They’ve released five albums with the most recent being New Years Day in 2008. Their rock / folk sound might not appeal to everyone but the cool thing about these guys is that they’re not just in it to make money. They appear on Sandra Boynton’s CD Dog Train and recorded the title track for Philadelphia Chickens, both of which will appeal to your kids. Check out “New Years Day,” from when they stopped by Daryl Hall’s house to play.
2) Kings of Leon
Brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared and cousin Matthew are all Followill boys. They are also known as the Kings of Leon (named after their father Ivan “Leon” Followill.) The band formed in 1999 in Nashville with a southern rock sound that progressed to more of an arena rock vibe. If you haven’t heard Only By The Night, their 2008 hit album, you might be the only person in the U.S. who hasn’t. While I wouldn’t play the whole album for my kids, unless you want to be asked a lot of questions about “Sex on Fire,” definitely play “Use Somebody,” their Grammy winning single. The song is catchy and builds a wall of a sound that would make Phil Spector proud.
1) Bee Gees
How the these guys went from the brothers Gibb to being named Bee Gees is still confusing to me, but their music launched a movement in the late 70’s and is still toe-tapping today. Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb were well-known songwriters and pop stars as well as disco pioneers and their music on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack is still classic. “How Deep is Your Love,” “Night Fever” and “Stayin Alive” all hit #1. It is estimated that the Bee Gees have sold more than 200 million records (40 million alone from Saturday Night Fever.) It’s never too late to introduce your kids to disco, even if you might think it’s dead. Play them “Stayin Alive” and watch the magic happen.
