Pedal steel guitarist Chuck Campbell (2004 National Heritage Fellowship recipient) and his lap steel-playing brother Darick are two of the finest in this tradition. Rounding out the band, which has been playing together for nearly two decades, is a high-energy rhythm section featuring brother Phil Campbell on electric guitar, his son Carlton on drums, and bassist Malcom Kirby. Classic, gutsy gospel vocals by Katie Jackson and/or Denise Brown bring the ensemble to a level of energy and expression that defies description.
The Campbell Brothers present a compelling, rich variety of material from the African-American Holiness-Pentecostal repertoire with a new twist: the growling, wailing, shouting, singing and swinging voice of the steel guitar, played as you have never heard it played before.
- "Best U.S. Gospel Instrumentalists of the Year," Fourth Annual Real Blues Awards, 1997
- "Best Gospel Album," Indie Award, 2002
- National Heritage Fellowship, 2004
Critics are raving about the group's debut album, Pass Me Not, Arhoolie CD 461:
- "This man (Chuck) is the Jimi Hendrix and the Django Reinhardt of the steel guitar...this CD is bound to be an award winner and possibly the biggest seller Arhoolie's ever had. Six halleleujas for a mandatory purchase." --Andy Grigg, Real Blues
- "The Campbell Brothers play music that until recently was heard only in gospel churches, with pedal steel guitar lines swooping skyward like a gospel shouter; two Campbell brothers trade off leads, carrying the songs to peak after peak." -- Jon Pareles, The New York Times
Video
“Good All the Time” | August 27, 2005 | Penn's Peak, PA
Photos
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