Cherryholmes, Symphony team up for SuperPops show

On Saturday, the Spokane Symphony and the family bluegrass band Cherryholmes will come together in a harmonious blend of banjos, fiddles and tubas.

Cherryholmes is a perfect example of how a family can come together through music.

Ten years ago, this large L.A. family suffered a crisis when the eldest daughter passed away. About six weeks later, they all went to a nearby bluegrass festival.

That day, the father, Jere Cherryholmes, said to his wife Sandy, “You know what would be really good for the family right now? To get the kids playing music.”

None of the kids was particularly musical – yet.

“We thought that bluegrass would be a fun, easy music to learn,” said Sandy, by phone from the road. “Since I was home-schooling them, we started working with them during the day during school time and at night dad would come home and we’d start working on our family jams.”

Within eight months, the band was playing bluegrass festivals. Within three years, they were touring the country.

“Yeah, they ended up having talent!” said Sandy. “We never intended to take it seriously. We just did it to get over a hump there, as a family. But it just blew up.”

They also proved to have a talent for showmanship. In 2005, they were named Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

And they have all developed an aptitude for songwriting, as well. In Saturday’s program with the symphony, each member of the family will get at least one songwriting credit.

The Cherryholmes family consists of:

• Cia, 25, on banjo.

• B.J., 21, on fiddle and mandolin.

• Skip, 20, on guitar.

• Molly 17, on fiddle.

• Sandy on mandolin and clawhammer banjo.

• Jere on upright bass.

Sandy said they have come a long way from the early days when they were just a “cute little family band playing traditional bluegrass.”

On Saturday night, they’ll make a foray into swing with a cover of Django Reinhardt’s “Minor Swing.” You’ll also hear some old-time mountain music, some Celtic-influenced tunes and some traditional blues. The whole family will even do some Irish step-dancing.

The symphony will back most of these tunes, under the direction of Resident Conductor Morihiko Nakahara.

Sandy said that the arrangements prove that bluegrass and orchestras can co-exist beautifully.

“Lead breaks normally done by a flying fiddle can be done on a xylophone,” she said. “It’s amazing how it all works.”