Malpass Brothers to perform rockabilly tunes at Troy

The Troy Arts Council will be presenting The Malpass Brothers, an older-style country music band, to perform at Claudia Crosby Theater at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Hailing from Goldsboro, North Carolina, the Malpass Brothers have gained some notoriety playing what they consider to be “real country music.”

“These guys don’t just sound retro,” said Dan MacIntosh, from Roothog Radio, “They are retro.”

They wear their hair high, indicative of the rock legend Elvis Presley, and even twitch their hips like him, too.

“We started at an early age by listening to our grandfather’s music,” said Christopher Malpass, acoustic guitar player and singer of the Malpass Brothers. “He ran a bar and played real country music, and we knew that’s the music we wanted to always keep alive.”

The Malpass Brothers toured with the late Don Helms and have opened for country music legend Merle Haggard on numerous tours.

The title cut video from their “Memory That Bad” album hit CMT Pure Country’s Top Ten.

Their latest self-titled album can be found on iTunes.

Malpass said that he and his brother, Taylor, love the same kind of music and work well together on stage.

“We think a lot alike and know what each other is thinking.

“My favorite thing about Taylor is his way on stage, of never playing the same thing twice — always new.”

Malpass said the only downside to their partnership is that he thinks Taylor’s hair is better than his own.

When they are not on the road, Christopher works as a carpenter for the Wayne County school district and Taylor works on a farm.

Since the success of their latest albums, Malpass hopes to start doing music full-time soon.

Performing at Troy University, Malpass said, “We hope to introduce our music to a whole new fan base and hope they enjoy what we do.”

John Jinright, Troy University associate professor and active member of the Troy Arts Council, participated in the decision to bring the Malpass Brothers to Troy.

“We’re trying to connect to new audiences; we haven’t programmed any classic country or rockabilly.”

Rockabilly is a type of popular music, originating in the Southeastern United States in the 1950s, combining elements of rock and roll and country music, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Tuesday morning, they will perform at Troy Elementary School, as well as share songs and stories with the children.

“They are great performers and have the old-fashioned showmanship that is missing from so many contemporary acts,” said Jinright.  “They live the ‘old-fashioned’ lifestyle, too, and that makes a difference when you can present the material with honesty and a deep respect for the music they bring.”

Jinright said he has good expectations for the outcome of the Tuesday night concert. On behalf of TAC, he said, “We hope to have a large crowd of young people who are interested in listening to the roots of modern country music.”

TAC is giving away 120 free tickets available at the Student Services Office in Trojan Center Room 231 on a first-come, first-served basis. Student tickets can be bought at the door for $5.

More information about the Malpass Brothers is available at themalpassbrothers.com.