Mallett Brothers Press Room

It don’t mean a thang (if it ain’t got that twang)

Music
With the NE Country Music Festival approaching,

Luke Mallett discusses the region’s country scene

Country music was born in the South, with roots stretching from the West. Northern New England is about as far as you can get from those geographic regions, and yet there is an increasingly healthy appetite for country music in this neck of the woods.

If you need evidence, just look at the lineup of concerts coming to the region this month. Alt-country singer Lydia Loveless heads to 3S Artspace on July 12; country legend Steve Earle takes the stage at Prescott Park on July 15; and rising star Sturgill Simpson hits the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on July 26. Late last month, the Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Country Music Festival stretched over three days at the Rochester Fairgrounds, complete with live bands, line dancing, a hot dog eating competition, and pig racing.

Another country festival, featuring a total of nine regional and national acts, comes to Portsmouth this weekend. The New England Country Music Festival takes place at the Redhook Brewery on Saturday, July 11, starting at 2 p.m. The headliner is former “American Idol” star Kellie Pickler, who has produced several country hits.

Among the other acts performing at the festival is The Mallett Brothers Band, a regional favorite out of Portland, Maine who released their latest album, “Lights Along the River,” in April. In advance of the show, we caught up with Luke Mallett to talk about New England’s country music scene and the genre’s evolving sound.

Do you consider The Mallett Brothers to be a country act? If so, what musical qualities make the band fit that genre?
We consider ourselves to be a lot of things. I think we’ve succeeded in pulling influence from country music, alt-country music, western swing, rock and roll, the folk masters, the newer Americana guys, the Red Dirt movement, bluegrass, psychedelic. We do have a certain love for the slide, steel, telecaster, and acoustic, and the twang that they bring to us.

Do you think northern New England has its own distinct country sound that’s different from, say, southern country music?
I think the northern New England musical traditions have been too long forgotten. Greats like Dick Curless, Lenny Breau, etc. There are also lots of greats still coming from here, like Slaid Cleaves, or our father David Mallett. We are distinct as a people up here, and so is our music.

Is there a “country scene” in Maine/New Hampshire/Vermont? Are there local country acts that play the same circuit and share a similar audience?
There is a great scene here for music of any and all types. People love music in New England, and we see a lot of love across genres. The community is always growing, and we’re always finding new acts to share the stage with.

Some people automatically associate country music with the country hits on popular radio. Do you think there are misconceptions about what qualifies as country music?
I think music should never be held fast to one thing or another. That’s boring. I think if people from the country/rural/wild places of the world can relate to us and our songs, then that’s what it is for them.

Can you point to any old-time country artists who you consider influences?
All of them! From Willie (Nelson) and Waylon (Jennings) to Charley Pride and Jimmie Rodgers to Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff (Walker). I will spend my whole life finding new old music.

Have you played at many country music festivals like the one coming up in Portsmouth? Do you enjoy participating in big shows like that?
Any time we get to play outside with a great big group of musicians, it’s a good thing. The summer fair and festival circuit in New England plays a big part of us being able to spend time on the road, building new audiences.

Any other exciting Mallett Brothers news on the horizon? Are you guys working on any new music at the moment?
Always! Still riding the wave of “Lights Along the River,” but we have already been putting in studio time toward the next thing, or things.

Any other thoughts you’d like to share on the subject of country music?
I think we’re in a wonderful time for country music right now. We’re in a time where all the subgenres have started to flow into each other and challenge each other, and that’s what is going to keep the soul in the music of our generation. Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Todd Snider, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Drive By Truckers, Kacey Musgraves, and lots of others are all setting a new bar for the rest of us.

Top of page: The Mallett Brothers Band.
Festival lineup

The New England Country Music Festival takes place Saturday, July 11, from 2 to 11 p.m. at the Redhook Brewery, 1 Redhook Way, Portsmouth. Tickets are $45 in advance or $50 day of show, available at ne-countrymusic.com/festival. Here’s a list of the acts performing.

• Kellie Pickler
• Native Run
• Leah Turner
• Charles Esten Blaire Hanks
• North of Nashville
• Jilly Martin and Ryan Brooks Kelly
• The Mallett Brothers Band
• Alec MacGillivray