Dear MariBella and the Pig Kickers is a family bluegrass band that has recently entered the local music scene. The funloving band is made up of four siblings: Isabella, AnnMari, Pete, and Chris. They have been playing together on the front porch of their home in Scotts Hill for as long as they can remember, but recently they have expanded their audience to local festivals and music venues.
Dear MariBella and the Pigkickers is excited to partner with UNCW’s newly formed Teal Music Productions to release their debut EP, Magnolia. Good writers write about what they know, so their debut album features the things they know and love— sun showers, flowers, pigs, and chocolate ice cream. Written sitting together on the front porch and polished around the kitchen table, these songs reflect family life mixed with a little rabble-rousing sibling fun. Nothing fancy, just simple stories and good times. Bluegrass Today calls the album “an impressive debut” and “Magnolia Tree, an imaginative song.”
The band enjoys exploring their family ties to the Blue Ridge Mountains by presenting the fun-loving, upbeat harmonies and intricate classic sounds of North Carolina’s traditional Bluegrass music. Of course, they also love sharing their Christian faith with some up-tempo gospel hymns. The band most recently enjoyed playing a sold out show at Wilmington’s only listening room, Live at Ted’s and looks forward to playing Poplar Grove’s Merry & Bright throughout December. They are super excited to make their debut at Shaka Taco’s Backyard Music this Saturday.
When they are not playing with their family band, you can find them joining in with the Port City Pipe & Drums, which is a traditional Scottish Bagpipe Band. The youngest sibling, Chris, is a bagpiper who has been learning under the watching eye of Pipe Major Andy Simpson since he was just 7 years old. Pete is a driving bluegrass force with his 3-finger style banjo playing. He spends lots of his free time slowing down YouTube videos of Earl Scruggs trying to figure out how he got that sound. AnnMari, who plays the guitar and leads most of the vocals, is a high school student who is dual enrolled in the music program at the Cape Fear Community College, downtown Wilmington, where she can be found exploring many genres of music on the guitar. Isabella, the oldest member and fiddle player, recently started at UNCW as an English major, minoring in music. Isabella firmly established the musical agenda of the family when she declared at the age of 7 that she wanted to learn to play the fiddle like Pa from “Little House on the Prairie.”
All in all, Dear MariBella is excited to start sharing their love for music, God, family, and community with the public. If you would like to find out where the band is playing around town, visit their website www.dearmaribella.com. You can also follow them on their instagram page @dear.maribella, or on Facebook or check out their Youtube channel.
Feel free to contact them at dearmaribella@yahoo.com.
