The father was in the military and they are from all over. They settled in Branson because family lived there. They take turn singing. All of them are super talented. You can tell they truly love each other and what they do. I discovered them on RU-vid last year and have spent many hours listening to their music. They write some of their own songs and they are amazing. Their parents help with musical arrangements of the songs. Emmitt comes from a musical bluegrass family also. They are a blessing to the world.
@Pat Fitzgerald That's awesome--I love it when connections are made between artists and new fans. And I love it even more when the artists comment on the channel. In just the last day, David Prince, Gene Watson, and DonnaLou Stevens all responded to people's comments. It's gonna be fun seeing where things go down the line once more folks know about the rabid country music fan base we've got here. Have a Happy New Year!
These guys are amazing. As to where they are from, their Dad was in the Air Force for 23 years, so they moved a lot. He was looking for something that would keep the family close, and they attended a bluegrass festival one weekend. He saw all the family bands etc and decided that was the thing. That day he bought daughter Ellen a banjo. They thought it would be a hobby and it has turned into more. The youngest daughter was little at the time and only was on stage when they started for like 2 songs and then she ran the sound the rest of the show. Mom, Dad and the other 3 kids all performed. When the youngest got a bit older they got her a mandolin and Mom took over the bass and now Dad only plays once in a while. They are so much fun to watch. The dobro player is a friend of theirs. The others are all Petersens. Mom Karen on bass. Oldest to youngest among the kids is Katie playing fiddle and singing here, then Ellen (who was on American Idol) playing banjo and she has an amazing voice also. Then Matt guitar and vocals. Then Julianne playing mandolin and singing. The dobro player is Emmett Franz. Here are a couple more links to videos of them. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jk58CUE7-B0.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C7BtGs1w6hA.html Enjoy. Stay safe and well.
Karen (bass) is the mother of Katie (fiddle), Ellen (banjo), Matt (guitar), and Julianne (mandolin). Emmet Franz(dobro) comes to them from his own family band which sort of dissolved as the kids went their own ways. John, the father, who also plays with them sometimes, was largely responsible for the band's existence. As a traveling military family, they needed, he reasoned, a common activity they could all enjoy together. All the kids sing lead and backup and can play more than one instrument as do Karen and John. Emmet also sings. They settled in the Branson area after John retired.
Ya The Petersens are great. I discovered them about 2 or so years ago, when they started on RU-vid because of the Covid pandemic. They are really talented. Is it normal that a whole family can sing well and play instruments? It seems pretty amazing to me.
I enjoyed watching your reaction. Because....it was just like mine!! This was the first video of theirs that I had the absolute pleasure of watching. I became an instant fan!! I will admit, tho, that I do not like main stream country music. 97% of it just doesn't appeal to me. But, I do love blue grass/Appalachian style music. There's something about it that sounds so pure to me, like a flashback to the roots of our country and a much simpler time. And as a singer myself, I appreciate the beautiful, perfect harmony of their voices, and the wonderful instrumentals too!! If I'm ever in the Branson area again, I will definitely go see the Petersens in concert!! Definitely been added to my bucket list!!
A talented family for sure. The only other thing I've seen by them is a cover of "Landslide." The set up is pretty much the same, but the banjo player takes the lead vocal slot.
Edit: Hat tip to eric rose. Their arrangement of Bohemian Rhapsody will blow you away, 6 acoustical instruments and 4 mics, its amazing. Their mom’s from the Ozarks, the kids are military brats, Air Force, I think.
@T Smith Wow, for some reason I never would have guessed military brats. But I suppose discipline was part of the upbringing, so it makes sense given how good they are.
@eric rose Thank you for the insight on the group. It always warms me when I see families who are so close with each other like the Petersens are. Thanks again, and Happy New Year!
These guys are not your average cover singers. They have a growing list of their own songs too. Listen to "the ballad of John and Becky". Blows your socks off. Ellen really growls!
What a way to close out 2020! thank you for another great year of reactions. Since you liked The Petersens so much, I'd like to recommend a similar Branson based bluegrass band, but one that's just a little bit different. This group is called The Cleverleys and they specialize in doing bluegrass arrangements of non-country/bluegrass songs. My personal favorite is their version of the Black Eyed Pea's I Gotta Feeling, but if you do end up listening to them I would recommend just searching their name and looking for a song name that you recognize as I think it is better with them to be able to compare their arrangement to the original version.
@TheNascarfan999 Thank you bruthaman! It was a helluva year and thank God for music! I'm starting to turn onto bluegrass more than I expected, so there's gonna be some more of that down the line. Happy New Year, and thank you for your recs and comments!
The funny thing is that they're also genuises. The two older daughters have chemistry degrees for god's sake. It's like this one particular family got all the talent for whatever reason.
It's Katie's voice that subliminally gives you the sense of "almost heaven". It's angelic here, so soothing. When the song calls for powerful pipes ("strength"), it's Ellen's voice that is enlisted (see ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Z-w66cEXD0w.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tCygXBpYp24.html). When the need calls for a moving, haunting sound, they choose Emmett Franz (the dobro player). Check his original called "Moments", based on the life of Chris McCandless ("Into the Wild"): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PBLSzetYYWs.html. It'll give you goosebumps. If you want to see the supreme talent of this group, check out their fusion of bluegrass and Freddie Mercury's "Bohemian Rhapsody", featuring Matt and Julianne: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X_XVrm6zXmw.html.
I've seen their names on YT while scrolling through, but next time I will stop and listen to the Petersens again. There are so many wonderful new bluegrass singers and groups. Sometimes they seem to cross paths with country music and the lines become blurred. I was expecting to hear a 9.3, but was pleasantly surprised that you rated them even higher. Happy New Year to all!
@joyce mcfee I'm glad you and I are on the same page with that song. Wow, are they good, and the lead singer's voice on this track is worthy of its own dissertation. And of course, Happy New Year to you, Joyce!!
They are all family except for the Dobro player, who is a close friend. BTW, the Dobro player has written an incredible song called Moments that the band has performed on their channel. Everyone in the band can sing, and sing well. The harmonies are incredible. The only way to get those harmonies is be being siblings.
Julianne Petersen is the angel of the ozarks they are located in Branson, she does well with the gentleman on dobros, Katie singing is head of family but Jules is best with John Denver. The only one not a Petersen is one on dobro. The guy on guitar is from West Virginia if you liked this listen to others especially Julianne yes they have a web sight they tour stopped touring during Covid only in USA 🇺🇸 now they are on any radio beautiful gospel also and Christmas albums
Thanks for that from a fan near Warrnambool, Australia. Also I want to tell you about recommend a now Nashville based Australian/New Zealand family band who do old time Country with marvelous musicality and genius- the French Family Band, which is Tasmania-born veteran lead guitarist and singer Stuie French, his ever-smiling New Zealand born Mauri singer/ rhythm guitarist wife Camille Te Nahu French, and their prodigy children, especially young Sonny French. You can find them performing in Nashville, or online. Here's a video track down from their lounge room from April 2021 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JAMg7sf3KYM.html
Extremely talented group of young people. They have it all together..Please react to another couple of very talented young ladies, The Church Sisters, singing Where We'll Never Grow Old. And don't party too hard tonight Don. haha
@Russ McKernan Well it is a reaction video, so sitting silently would defeat the purpose. Besides, copyright law requires that we alter the original video, and commentary is one of the required means that allows us to use the copyrighted material.
![The Petersens -- Take Me Home, Country Roads [REACTION/RATING]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
