Some families have emerald baubles or chaise lounges for heirlooms; Sam Brinkley’s has instruments. The banjo and fiddle in his Maggie Valley home, which is about 30 miles west of Asheville, belonged to his great grandmother, Leona Clay Brinkley.
“She was an award-winning picker,” Brinkley, 29, says. “The fiddle has 1905 (inscribed) on it and I assume the banjo is about the same.”
Brinkley keeps the flame lit by singing and playing guitar and harmonica in the Rafe Hollister Band. Tracks on the group’s 2009 sophomore record “Stimulus Package,” such as “Smoke From the Hill” and “Swannanoa Tunnel,” suggest a more countrified Widespread Panic. Rafe’s lineup includes fiddler Jeff Mendenhall, drummer Vince Seabrook, guitarist Brooks Butler, bassist Joseph Massie and mandolin player Mark Moser.
Brinkley came up with a fitting sobriquet for their sound: mountain rock. “Bluegrass is straight-laced. You’ll see the traditional guys get up there dressed in suits, which is great. Rock ‘n’ roll has much more of a wild side to it. But I grew up listening to both, and it was natural for me to put the two together.”
“Stimulus Package” is available on iTunes. Where do you buy most of your music from?
By now, most of it’s through iTunes, and other stuff like that. Amazon.
What’s the last album you bought?
The new Black Keys.
What did you think of that record?
Oh, I love it. It’s my favorite one (by The Black Keys) for sure.
Besides Rafe Hollister, who are some other purveyors of mountain rock?
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Goose Creek Symphony, but they’ve been around since the early 60s and they kind of pioneered the whole mountain rock sound. They played rock ‘n’ roll on bluegrass instruments. That was one of my earliest influences and introductions to that style.
What artists did you listen to the most growing up?
I listened to a lot of Johnny Cash. He was from the hills of Arkansas and was really good with mixing rock ‘n’ roll with country elements. As far as the rock side of it goes, I really liked bands like Zeppelin and The Stones who’ve both used country elements on some of their albums.
The banner on Rafe Hollister’s website features a photo of a GMC vehicle’s grill and bumper. What’s the significance of that?
That’s our touring van—we named it Vanna. It’s a ’91. I just turned 200,000 (miles) on it, but it’s got a brand new engine in it, so she’s good to go. I always drive. It rides so smooth and is so plush on the inside I really don’t mind driving it. We use it two or three times a weekend, going out of town playing.
What are the lyrics to your song “Smoke From The Mill” about?
Those are referencing the paper mill in Canton, N.C., which is probably about 15 miles from me. It’s just such a big part—or used to be—of the economy around here. It was a double-edged sword because it provided jobs and money, but at the same time it was polluting the rivers and the air, and so it played a big part in the history of Haywood County. We just wanted to write something that told about where we’re from.
Rafe Hollister Band plays Gumby’s Food & Spirits at 2 p.m. July 4. Cover is $5. For more information, call 864-242-5922 or visit www.rafehollister.com.
