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The BROTHERS GRATEFUL musical group was formed in 1990 by ROY CRAWFORD and MARK RUPPENTHAL. Their purpose was to develop songwriting skills and occasionally perform. KEN ERWAY joined the group in 1991 on bass guitar and vocals.
Roy and Ken continue on as the present members of the BROTHERS GRATEFUL. Mark Ruppenthal continues to sit in on occasion, adding a wealth of musical depth and feeling that brings out the best in all three.
ROY CRAWFORD
- guitarist and vocalist
Roy Crawford grew up listening to his family’s “jug band” jams every Saturday evening. Joining his brothers and sisters, he developed a deep love of harmony, style and performing in a group. Around age 12, Roy began watching and listening to his brother Lee practicing guitar and was smitten with the bug to play.
Roy’s early influences were the classic country artist: Hank Williams, Sr., as well as Ray Price, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens; however it was Roy Orbison’s music and singing style that captivated young Roy.
As the psychedelic 60’s took hold of the airways, Roy’s interests flowed to the “harmony” groups like doo-wop, Motown, the Beatles, the Young Rascals, Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby Stills and Nash, America, the Eagles, Poco, and New Riders of The Purple Sage.
As Roy’s vocal skills continued to develop, he began to develop a love for the great song stylists, including: Elvis Presley, Johnny Rivers, John Fogarty, Neil Young and Robert Plant.
Roy began performing cover music in the early 70’s as a guitarist and vocalist. At the same time he began a friendship and a musical relationship with Mark Ruppenthal, which led to the formation of the BROTHERS GRATEFUL further down the psychedelic highway of life. Roy and Mark continued to play on and off during the 70’s and 80’s.
Roy’s first real experience as a lead singer came in 1976 in the great local southern rock band STAMPEDE. This band continued until 1979. In 1981 Roy, with his brothers Lee and Les, formed the fabulous country southern rock band IRONWOOD. With their vocal harmonies honed growing up together at home, IRONWOOD became a successful and well loved band. They continued to play until 1985.
In 1986, Roy joined a group called BAD HABIT. This highly charged rock cover band is where Roy and Ken Erway began their musical relationship. BAD HABIT was a unique five piece ensemble. Each of the five members’ diverse musical backgrounds came together to form a tight knit group that played with fire and electricity. They would often play until the wee hours of the morning without a hint of fatigue, bringing their audiences along for the ride. They were well-known and much loved locally, until finally being torn apart by their manic nuances. Someday a book will be written about this great, great band. They last played together in 1989.
Following the demise of Bad Habit, Roy and Mark Ruppenthal joined forces and began the BROTHERS GRATEFUL legacy. A year later, Ken Erway joined the group. Today, Roy and Ken are the BROTHERS GRATEFUL, celebrating their 12th straight year in this popular group.
KEN ERWAY
- guitarist and vocalist
Ken Erway first saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show when he was 10 years old. He was so infatuated with the band’s harmony and sense of fun that, he had to find an outlet for his own musical expression and curiosity. Almost instinctually, Ken started hanging around the elementary band room door during early morning band rehearsals. The band director noticed and encouraged him to join the band. The only instrument available was the French horn, and so began his training.
However, it was at 14 that Ken started to explore the electric guitar. Throughout high school, he played at high school dances with his like-minded friends. The Beatles, Led Zepplin, The Byrds, Chicago, Eric Clapton, Elton John were all his favorites. However, the Woodstock Festival was his greatest influence ----- all of the music at that historic festival influenced him significantly. Santana, Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Joan Baez, The Who, Sly and The Family Stone… were his teachers. Ken also continued to play French horn for 15 years, eventually becoming an alumnus of FREDONIA STATE UNIVERSITY, majoring in music education and French horn.
After college, Ken took up the bass guitar, and helped form the group SKYLINE. This pivotal southern rock/bluegrass/country band became a local phenomenon. It rode the early 80’s musical wave playing artists such as the Charlie Daniels Band, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, the Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson and others. It was fertile ground for Ken to master the electric bass. For the next 20 years he played in numerous bands of many styles, including: Juke Joint & The Gin Mill Jumpers, Bad Habit, Lucky Number, The Folk Detectives, Lisa Bigwood & The Woodland Band, Skyline Drive, and of course, the BROTHERS GRATEFUL.
For the last 10 years, Ken has performed as a guitarist and vocalist, both as solo act and as part of the BROTHERS GRATEFUL. Ken also performs with Bill Aaron in the local duo DISTILLED. Ken presently teaches guitar and bass at MARICH MUSIC, Corning, NY and REVOLUTION MUSIC, Bath, NY
© 2010 Noble Adeodatus Valerian