The Gawler Family
The Gawler Family brings you a delightful assortment of songs and tunes rooted in the traditional music of Maine and the Northeast. John and Ellen, together with their daughters Molly, Edith, Elsie, and “brother” Bennett Konesni, back up their intertwining family harmonies with fiddles, banjo, cello, guitar, and sometimes, a few surprises.
Inspired by years of playing for dances in the old Grange halls, the Gawlers may be best known for their rollicking renditions of dance tunes in 'the Downeast style' with its origins in the Scots-Irish and French Canadian traditions. Their repertoire also includes a wide variety of old and new sounds, with highly spirited delivery of selections that may include a gutsy shanty or work song, a heart-wrenching ballad, a poignant a cappella number featuring the sisters, or an amusing ode to everyday life. With a particular focus on sentiments that reflect life in rural Maine, their unique arrangements are especially engaging and often go along with anecdotes of historical or humorous content.
For many years, the Gawler Family has shared their music at countless festivals, farms, concerts, and schools, joyfully enlivening a sense of grassroots connection and community. With their sparkling musicianship and infectious spirit, the Gawlers have found a warm place in the hearts of audiences of all ages.
There song Harrow and the Plough was a poem written around the 1900s by a fellah named Holman Day who lived in Vassalboro. Elsie found it and put it to music, and it’s become a bit of an anthem for us over the years. Holman’s work is a true delight to experience. And if you can find one of his books of poetry in an old bookshop, you’ve hit the jackpot