Editor’s Note: In our upcoming Music Issue, we’ll be spotlighting local artists poised to break out of the local scene, and are featuring a different local artist here each week leading up to it, with the rest revealed when the issue hits stands July 14. This week, we look at a band of youthful brothers who’ve come a long way in a short time.
Since forming in Tampa Bay four years ago, The Ries Brothers (pronounced “Rees”) have toured with Butch Trucks and Chicago; warmed the stage for others, like David Cook, Los Lonely Boys and Edgar Winter; sold out three headlining shows in four months at Ruth Eckerd Hall’s Murray Theatre; and are booking some East Coast dates to play on their way up to New Jersey's Rock The Farm Music Festival this August.
The band has two members, Charlie and Kevin, and they are 20 and 17 years old.
Sibling rivalry isn’t an issue. The brothers’ easygoing relationship, shared ambition, complementary skills and natural chemistry make it work, and living in the same house means they can practice whenever they want. All these factors fueled their decision to remain a duo when they debuted in 2012. “We were trying to put together a band, but schedules with other musicians didn’t line up and it was hard to find someone as motivated as us,” Charlie explained. “We really wanted to go for this.”
Both have been playing music since they were in the single digits. Currently, Charlie juggles drums and bass-keys simultaneously, his self-taught technique inspired by his hero, Doors keysman Ray Manzarek; he sings lead, too, and his vocals have an enchanting, R&B-velvety quality. Kevin lays down searing guitar licks, riffs and rhythmic texture and provides fine backing harmonies, and he’s also added ukulele, bass, keys and percussion to his arsenal. “We’re similar but we’re different enough in personality and in musical style and taste, that we have a healthy friction,” Charlie said.
Their sound is rooted in rock ‘n’ roll, mature songwriting chops reflected in two EPs and a live album of original material that includes tracks like the slinky, scorching “Voodoo,” which has that indie blues/garage appeal of Black Keys but with spacious guitar passages and upbeat vibes. “Typical Day” incorporates acoustic guitar textures amid reggae-hued grooves and beats, while “Love So Real” is a buoyant acoustic-rock love song.
The novelty of two teen brothers playing rock and Top 40 covers is likely what drew people to see the duo in the beginning, but their talent and passion have spurred a growing fanbase (15.5k Facebook likes and counting). Their parents have also played a big role in their success. Kevin and Jenifer Ries not only supplied the gear and a big black conversion van to cart it all around, but also provided an encouraging environment for their sons’ creativity, and manage their musical careers with sharp business savvy and marketing acumen.
Their first significant gig was Clearwater Jazz Holiday in 2013 (“Coming off that stage was a big moment,” said Charlie), and that cemented their relationship with its host, Ruth Eckerd Hall. “They’ve been crucial in giving us big-stage experience, and that really prepared us for the Chicago tour and everything we’ve done since.”
Relentless gigging didn’t hurt. In fact, they played as many as five times a month at Pinellas beach bars like their homebase, Crabby Bill’s, where they had their first break in 2014 when a fan brought along a friend who happened to be an employee of Chicago. “She ended up liking us and sent some of our stuff off to Chicago management, they ended up liking us and offered us one show as a tryout,” Charlie explained. That was in Orlando at Hard Rock Live’s CityWalk, and an invitation to play Atlanta followed. On the way home from that gig, Charlie said, “We were stopped at a Chili’s in the middle of Georgia, and we got a text that they wanted us for the rest of their Southeast tour.”
The Ries Brothers were allotted a 20-minute opening set each night, and said everyone from the Chicago camp was extremely accommodating, especially trombone player Jimmy Pankow. “He’d stop by and check out what we were doing, at least part of our set, pretty much every stop,” Charlie said. Others offered words of wisdom about the road that amounted to one underlying theme: touring can be grueling, but if you love playing, don’t stop. “It’s not like them just telling us not to stop, it’s them going on stage, so we could actually see it in action.”
The highlight for both was the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. “That was mind-blowing,” Kevin gushed. “Its history and all the legends that have played there… getting to be backstage and then be on the stage there, was such an eye-opening moment for us, like, ‘Wow, this is real.’”
After their second Chicago tour in April 2015, they set out to build on their momentum. “We didn’t want to go back to the beach bars, we wanted to take the next step.” Ruth Eckerd had just finished renovating its Murray Theatre and at 150 seats, it seemed like the perfect upgrade. They nailed down a date that August and sold it out, as well as two dates that followed in September and November.
The Ries Brothers now have a publicist, are seeking a booking agent, and just finished recording a new track in LA with Grammy-winning producer Carlos Battey (Justin Bieber, Madonna) that could be fuel enough to ignite a full-blown headlining tour. For the time being, they gear up for a busy weekend of hometown fireworks and rock-outs.
The Ries Brothers perform with Angie Rey Sun., July 3, 7-11 p.m., at CJ’s on the Island, Treasure Island (free); at Clearwater Celebrates America, Mon., July 4, 5:30 p.m., Coachman Park, Clearwater (free); and open for Butch Trucks & Freight Train Fri., July 22, 8 p.m., at Capitol Theatre, Clearwater ($20-$45).
