We’re shining the spotlight on The Gibbonses, a husband and wife duo from Dallas, TX, known for their acoustic mixture of Southern Soul, Americana, and Rhythm & Blues
We recently caught up with Brandon and Jackie to learn more about their music, upcoming projects, and what they like most about AudioTheme and their Obsidian theme.
When and how did you start playing music? When did you get started playing together?
Brandon: Jackie has been performing since she could walk. She was a total child star in the Dallas/Ft. Worth theater scene! There are some great videos floating around the family of some of her early performances! I’ve been playing guitar for about 18 years. Before that I played violin in the school orchestra. We met about 5 years ago while working in the Showband on a cruiseship. Back then I was actually Jackie’s boss. A few years later we got married…and that all changed! Lol!
Who are some of your musical heroes or influences and what you love about them?
Jackie: I grew up on Dixie Chicks, Alicia Keys, and Celine Dion so anything that fuses a little country, a lot of balls, and impressive riffs will always make me stop mid sentence to listen! I also have a pretty intense background in Musical Theatre so gritty vocals with solid technique is super important to me. Susan Tedeschi and Bonnie Raitt are that perfect balance and what I aspire to be for our generation.
Brandon: I studied Jazz performance in High School and College. Working on cruiseships for 5 years I got the chance to play a wide variety of music from Big Band Swing tunes, to Motown, to Country. Derek Trucks is my absolute favorite guitarist of all time! As far as songwriting goes, Sean McConnell takes the cake in my book! When it comes to writing music together, Jackie and I both have very different backgrounds and influences to bring to the table, which always keeps things interesting!
What is your most popular song and where can we hear it?
Brandon: Hmmm, well, there is a bit of a back story here. We released our debut EP, ‘A Formal Introduction’ last year under the name Jackie Pock Band while living in Seattle. The 5 original songs on that record are very ‘all over the place’ stylistically. We were brand new to songwriting and had inspiration coming from so many different musical experiences. Once we made the move to Texas at the beginning of the year, we rebranded as The Gibbonses to better represent the ‘equal partner’/duo aspect of what we’re doing. Our writing has definitely begun to take on a sound that blends those influences into something we can call our own. I think currently, the most popular song that represents what our sound is now and where it’s going is called “Time.” It’s a heart wrenching ballad for anyone who’s ever gone through a painful experience where there is nothing you can do but wait for that pain to subside. It is actually available as one of 3 free downloads we’re offering on our website.
What can we look forward to from you in the future?
Jackie: We’re heading to L.A. in November to record a new album! We’re excited to have a piece of work that is truly representative of where we are now in our lives both musically and emotionally. This past year has been both the the best and the worst all at the same time, which I would like to think is a solid foundation for some pretty interesting music.
Brandon: We are currently in the middle of competing in Ranch Factor 2015, hosted by 95.9 The Ranch. We we were chosen out of 150 applicants to be one of 12 bands to compete, so that’s pretty damn cool, I think. We took first place in Round 1 against two amazing bands and are so excited to get to continue hopefully all the way to the finals! Round two will take place on September 8th.
What do you like best about the AudioTheme and the Obsidian theme?
Brandon: Well, first of all, I really liked the look of the Obsidian theme. It allows for a big featured imagine, which I set to have static so the content scrolls over the top. I just think it makes for a really clean and professional looking site. As far as the AudioTheme framework itself, it’s great! It was designed for musicians, so everything you need is built in. There’s no shopping for 3rd party plugins that may or may not integrate well and look like you want them to. I’d say my favorite feature is the gig calendar. We play A LOT, and I like that I can have all of our past gigs archived on the site, so if a buyer is looking us up they can see all the past work we’ve done. And having the sections on the backend where you can put in notes and contact info for the venues also makes it a great tool for keeping yourself organized! Lastly, I just want to say, I AM NOT a tech guy. I’ve learned a lot out of sheer necessity these last few years, but please don’t think I actually know what the hell I’m doing! Lol. Using the AudioTheme framework I was able to put together a site that I’m proud of all on my own!
Love the Gibbonses website? Learn more about the Obsidian theme.
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