The Gravy Boys Close Out 2012 Six Sundays in Spring in Wake Forest

May 24, 2012 - PRLog -- The Gravy Boys perform acoustic Americana music, drawing deep from the well of our country’s diverse musical heritage. Since they came together to form the band in 2004, they have released two albums (Workin’ the Angels for Handouts, 2007; Dust Bowl Lover, 2009) and are working on a third. The Gravy Boys take old-time themes and bring them into the present day with an authentic passion that resonates with all who listen. PineCone, Wake Forest ARTS, and the Town of Wake Forest are collaborating to offer this free concert in Wake Forest's E Caroll Joyner Park on Sunday, June 3 from 5-7 p.m.

The Gravy Boys hail from Raleigh/Durham, and they are: Steve Celestini (vocals/harmonica), Steve Storms (guitar/dobro/vocals), and the Spagnardi brothers - Tom (doghouse bass/vocals), Bill (vocals/mandolin), and Joe (guitar/vocals).

“The Gravy Boys represent the utility players of Americana music. Songs alternate between hobo folk, honky-tonk crooning and roots rock. Whether channeling the Carter Family or Uncle Tupelo, the band offers clean vocals, high energy, and a full acoustic sound featuring guitar, mandolin and bass.” - Andrew Ritchey, The Independent Weekly

Joe Spagnardi focuses his energies on making sure that the gravy train stays on its rails, mostly by strumming rhythm on his ‘68 Gibson J-50. He picked up the guitar in his teens by transplanting three years of unenthusiastically and sporadically attended classical piano lessons to the rock and blues riffs most enthusiastically performed on a Fender telecaster. While stumbling his way through the ‘70s and ‘80s dabbling in the rock and pop of his time, Joe’s ears were always called toward the music of the past. Something really clicked for him when he picked up and devoured a copy of Bill Malone’s Country Music, U.S.A., while simultaneously listening to Gram Parsons. It opened a whole new world of appreciation of the music for the common folk: American heritage country music in its purest form and all its alternate forms. It also incidentally spawned a nasty new habit of collecting old country records and yammering incessantly into the ears of the other Gravy Boys.

Bill Spagnardi adds vigorous mandolin strumming, high lonesome harmonies, and musical compositions to the Gravy Boys; the third brother, Tom Spagnardi, keeps the band on-track with his bass.

Steve Storm is the band’s elder statesman. First inspired by the The Beatles, Storm picked up a guitar at age 12 and has not put it down since. In addition to the dobro and singing and composing tunes with the Gravy Boys, and he believes that this music truly expresses the sounds of his soul.

Steve Celestini has been on many strange journeys, the most important one being that which landed him in Swamp Creek, North Carolina, where Joe taught him the ways of the six string, the thrill of singing with wreckless abandon, and the belief that truth may some day be discovered if he ever manages to write the perfect song. Until that day, he has pledged to perform with the Gravy Boys as if his life depended on it.

Bring your chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, family, and friends, and enjoy the final Six Sundays in Spring concert in Wake Forest’s beautiful E Carroll Joyner Park!

In case of inclement weather: updated concert information will be available on the Wake Forest Weather Line at 919-435-9569 or PineCone’s office line at 919-664-8333. Smart phone users who have downloaded the Town of Wake Forest app will receive a push notification message informing them of any schedule changes.

Please park in the designated parking lot if space is available. No alcohol, firearms, or unleashed dogs are allowed in the park.

Learn more about PineCone and other upcoming concerts: http://www.pinecone.org
Learn more about Wake Forest ARTS: http://wakeforestarts.org/
Learn more about Wake Forest Parks & Recreation: http://www.wakeforestnc.gov/parksrecreation.aspx