The Lilly Brothers facts for kids

The Lilly Brothers were famous bluegrass musicians. The group included brothers Bea Lilly (born Michael Burt Lilly, December 15, 1921 – September 18, 2005) and Everett Lilly (born July 1, 1924 – May 8, 2012). They were born in Clear Creek, West Virginia. Many people say they brought bluegrass music to New England. They also inspired many future bluegrass artists like Peter Rowan, Joe Val, and Bill Keith.

The Lilly Brothers' Story

Bea and Everett grew up listening to traditional music. Bea learned to play the guitar, and Everett played the mandolin.

Early Radio Days

In 1938, they first played on the radio show "Old Farm Hour" at WCHS in Charleston, West Virginia. They played on many other radio shows in the South during the 1940s. In 1945, they were on the Molly O'Day radio show in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In 1948, the brothers joined the "Red Belcher's Kentucky Ridge Runners" band at the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia. They left the band two years later and took a short break from music. In 1951, Everett joined the famous bluegrass band Flatt & Scruggs.

Everett Lilly (center, seated, with mandolin) and the Lilly Mountaineers, performing in 2009

Moving to Boston

In 1952, a friend named 'Tex' Logan convinced the brothers to play together again. The Lilly Brothers moved to Boston. There, they started a new band called the "Confederate Mountaineers". The band included Bea on guitar, Everett on mandolin, Tex Logan on fiddle, and Don Stover on banjo.

They played on a radio show called "Hayloft Jamboree" and were the main band at local clubs like the Plaza Bar and the Hillbilly Ranch. Soon, they started recording music for different record companies. Later, they changed their band's name to "The Lilly Brothers".

Touring and Later Years

In the 1960s, the Lilly Brothers played concerts at many big colleges and folk music festivals. Their band stayed the same from 1952 to 1970, which was very unusual for a bluegrass group!

In 1970, Everett Lilly's son, Giles, died in a car accident. This sad event led Everett to leave Boston, and the brothers stopped playing together regularly. However, they reunited many times during the 1970s. In 1973, the Lilly Brothers had a very successful tour in Japan. They even released three live albums from these concerts. A documentary called "True Facts in a Country Song" was made about their career in 1979.

In the 1980s, Bea retired from music. Everett continued to play with his son Mark in a band called "Clear Creek Crossin'". Everett Lilly kept playing music with his sons in a band called "Everett Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers" until he passed away in 2012.

Their Music Style

People described the Lilly Brothers' singing as rich, mountain-flavored bluegrass. Their music was known for being powerful and traditional. It was often called haunting and earthy.

Awards and Honors

The Lilly Brothers received several important awards for their music:

• In 1986, the Lilly Brothers were added to the Massachusetts Country Music Hall of Fame. Don Stover, their banjo player, was inducted the next year.
• On October 17, 2002, the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. This is a very high honor in bluegrass music.
• In November 2008, the Lilly Brothers were inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

Video Appearances

The Lilly Brothers also appeared in some videos and documentaries:

• 1979: "True Facts in a Country Song" – This was a 29-minute documentary about their lives and music.
• 2005: Festival! – This DVD showed performances from the Newport Folk Festival between 1963 and 1966. It included the Lilly Brothers with Don Stover, Tex Logan, and Everett Alan Lilly.
• 2006: Bluegrass Country Soul – This DVD featured various artists from the Camp Springs, NC Bluegrass Festival in 1971.

Images for kids

• 

  Everett Lilly (center, seated, with mandolin) and the Lilly Mountaineers, in performance in 2009