Darin and Brooke Aldridge
The Sweethearts of Bluegrass, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, are from Cherryville N.C. and are one of the best duos in acoustic music these days. In 2011 the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) voted them an Emerging Artist of the year nominee and the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music (SPBGMA) voted them as gospel group, album, and song of the year nominees.
Their self-titled album a year ago propelled Darin and Brooke Aldridge into the top five on Bluegrass, Americana Roots, and Gospel music charts. One of the songs from the album was still number two on the Bluegrass chart a full year after the album was released. Last summer they were the most played bluegrass artists on Sirius/XM radio.
Released August 16, 2011 on the Crossroads/ Mountain Home label their newest CD, "So Much In Between", made its debut on the September Bluegrass Music Chart at number 7 and is now number 3 on the charts. The band features veteran Chris Bryant on banjo. Chris has played music with Darin since they performed together with Charlie Waller and the Country Gentlemen.
The band also features two products of the East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Music Program: Rachel Johnson Boyd and Dwayne Anderson. Rachel contributes excellent work on the fiddle and her vocals with Darin and Brooke make up one of the finest trios in bluegrass today. Dwayne Anderson does a superb job on the upright bass.
Their 2011 Tour had them traveling in almost half of the states in the U.S. thanks to support from their friends at Sun Drop citrus cola. Fans around the country have fallen in love with the "Sweethearts". "Married in December of 2008, Darin and Brooke make their love and faith in each other and in the Lord a cornerstone of their music. Their sincerity and talent combine to create an entertainment experience that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Their rich harmonies, supported by a first rate band, showcase two fine individual voices with a superb blend. Bluegrass Unlimited described their Gospel recording I’ll Go With You by saying that they “set a new standard of excellence in bluegrass gospel."
Their self-titled and So Much In Between release on Crossroads Music was produced by Nashville vertran Jerry Salley and features both secular and gospel bluegrass music. Audiences in every venue have been stunned by the conviction, commitment, and depth of their performances. Presenting songs of faith in God and love of each other, their communication with their audiences and each other is extraordinary.
Darin Aldridge first played music in public when he was six years old. Beginning with piano and drums and adding band instruments while in school, he soon gravitated towards stringed instruments. Learning to play banjo in order to join his first band, Straight and Narrow, he was encouraged to switch to mandolin when he showed an aptitude for it while teaching someone else to play. Since then, teaching has been one of his consistent activities. He now teaches in his studio as well as at the Gaston County School of the Arts in Gastonia, NC, near his home in Cherryville. His first touring band at a young age was, Acoustic Syndicate, which played a range of jazz, blues, and folk rock, touring up and down the east coast. Shortly after the Syndicate Darin joined the Country Gentlemen and toured with them for seven years until Charlie Waller’s sad passing in 2004. The Country Gentlemen were asked to be part of the 2005 Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C. Darin recorded three projects with The Country Gentlemen; the first, Crying in the Chapel, received a IBMA nomination for gospel event of the year. The last project, Songs of the American Spirit, won the SPBGMA 2005 best bluegrass album of the year. Soon after Waller’s death, a group of Country Gentlemen alumni formed The Circuit Riders which performed together from 2005-2008 and recorded the album Let The Ride Begin.
Darin has also filled in on stage with Blue Highway, Mike Snider,Paul Williams,The Isaacs,Mac Wiseman,Jim Lauderdale,George Hamilton IV and Blueridge, to name a few. He’s produced his own solo CD for Pinecastle Records (Call It A Day) and been nominated for the SPBGMA mandolin player of the year award four times and Guitar player of the year in 2011. He's a very talented studio musician, and a songwriter who contributes original material for the band and recordings. This broad experience has prepared him with the range of excellence needed to front a group ready to break out as a major force in bluegrass and gospel music.
Brooke Justice Aldridge grew up on the mountains of Avery County, NC just a few miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Her voice carries the lilt of the mountains along with the sophisticated sounds of a singer with experience way beyond her 25 years. Despite winning many competitions, Brooke never really knew how much she loved to sing until she reached the age of a teenager. Success in countless competitions led her to venture out beyond home, and in 2004 she competed in the regionals of the Nashville Star competition in Columbus, Georgia, where she finished third in a talented group of more than one hundred hopefuls. In 2007, Brooke recorded her very first CD, I'll Go With You, on Pinecastle Records.
Projecting the innocence of her mountain origins and the deep faith that forms her core, Brooke’s powerful voice and personal commitment shine through with every note. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education from Appalachian State Universityin Boone, NC and currently teaches pre-school while maintaining a strenuous touring schedule. At the core of her music lies belief—belief in her faith, her life partner, and the force of her own voice.Everyone who hears her sing is astounded at her sure tone and remarkable strength.