The Dalton Brothers
The Dalton Brothers starting singing old-time folk music in the late 1960s as members of "The Dalton Family Singers" a touring folk group started by their father, Al Dalton.
Touring North America as children, Jerry and Jeff were seasoned festival performers before they were ten years old and were regular performers at most major festivals including New York's Fox Hollow Folk Festival.
After decades of folk, jazz, rock, bluegrass, country, Broadway shows, and classical, the Dalton Brothers are reuniting to bring back the original, simple sounds of the Dalton Family Singers.
It's traditional music with an edge.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
1955: Al and Marcia Dalton start a family of four, with Al assigning one instrument to each with a future folk singing group in mind
1960: Jerry Dalton born. Assignment - Drums and Guitar
1961: Jeff Dalton born: Assignment- Bass and Banjo
1968 - Dalton Family Singers play their first gig in Charlestown, RI at "The Umbrella Factory"
1968-1973 - Dalton Family Singers tour North America
1973: Jon leaves the group to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy
1973: Jeff moves from bass to banjo to cover for Jon's absence
1974: Jess leaves the group to attend Interlochen
1975: Jerry leaves the group to attend Interlochen
1975-76: Jeff is last remaining child in the group that continues as a trio
1976: Jeff leaves the Dalton Family Singers to attend Interlochen
1976-2000: Al and Marcia experience a renaissance, touring the world as "Marcia and Al of the Dalton Family Singers" and perform in Russia, China, South America, all over Europe, and the US.
2007: Dalton Family Singers re-unite for a Thanksgiving concert in Sturbridge, MA
2008: Jerry and Jeff independantly begin recording some of the old songs
2008: The Dalton Brothers reunite to produce "The Dalton Family Songbook"
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Yes. Maine and Michigan. A Thanksgiving reunion concert in 2007 brought it all back to life. Now we collaborate online using Soundclick as our concert venue. Jeff has a computer-based studio using Cakewalk Sonar, and Jeremy records on a Roland digital studio.
Your musical influences
David Bromberg, the Kingston Trio, Gordon (Denny) Bok, Utah (Bruce) Phillips, Pete Seeger, The Cowsills, Bill Spence, Boys of the Lough, Mike Clooney, John Roberts and Tony Barrand, anyone from Folkways Records
What equipment do you use?
Guitars, banjos, bass, steel guitar, mandolin, Cakewalk Sonar, Garritan Personal Orchestra, percussion
