The Davisson Brothers Band Carry the Torch of Appalachian Heritage

by Dave Parsons

Rain had shortened the first half of the day at the Old Washington Music Festival on Friday, July 18. 2025.  I had tried to arrange an interview with the Davisson Brothers band by email for a couple of weeks, and got no reply.  A novel idea to be sure, came to me while they were signing autographs in the merch tent after their set.  I could just get to the end of the line and ask them to do the interview after they have finished signing.

43 years ago, when I started this writing/photography adventure, this was the way it was done.  Find a road manager or group leader, and ask for what you want from them.  Nowadays, your email goes to the publicist, who goes to management, who loops you into members of the road team that never get back to you. (Yes, it happened twice during this festival weekend!)

Or you just never get a reply for your efforts.

So, I approached the Davisson Brothers Band with hat in hand and asked for a few minutes of their time, and they graciously said yes.  They took me around the side of the merch tent, which was great for shielding noise to record the affair on my phone, but we continued walking to their bus, past the bunks, and to the lounge area in the back.

Donnie Davisson and I settled into chatting, with subjects ranging from Charlie Daniels to Terry Bradshaw, until brother Chris Davisson was able to join us, and we got down to answering every imposing question on their career I could think to ask.  What made it special was that it was like talking to someone in your family, and considering they are family, it made it all the more special to be there.

The story of the Davisson Brothers Band isn’t just about three siblings who picked up instruments and found success—it’s about a musical lineage that stretches back through the hollers and ridges of West Virginia like the roots of an ancient oak. Blending bluegrass, Southern rock, and country into a refreshing and often progressive acoustic sound, the Davisson Brothers Band draws from their Appalachian heritage and a wide array of musical influences, including Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Del McCoury, and Dickey Betts.

We’re sixth-generation musicians. Seven generations, Chris told me as we settled into the chat. We come from Old Mountain Fiddlers. And I like the thing that we just keep growing and learning. We’re still learning every day and trying to teach these young next generation.

This isn’t mere mountain folklore, but it’s a living, breathing tradition that continues to evolve on stages from West Virginia honky-tonks to Australian music festivals. The band has built its reputation not just on its musical prowess, but on its commitment to carrying forward something that runs deeper than entertainment: cultural preservation through artistic expression.

The journey from playing the bars in Morgan County to touring internationally speaks to both the band’s talent and their relentless work ethic. It’s a path that’s taken them from the smallest venues in their home state to sharing stages with some of country music’s biggest names, yet they’ve never forgotten where they came from.

We have got to do it in arenas for 15 or 20,000 people. We toured all last year at 10 to 15,000-seat venues, and we come home. And the next weekend we get right back and do something in the place that we used to play,” Chris reflects, his voice carrying both pride and humility.

The band’s international success, particularly in Australia, illustrates how authentic Appalachian music transcends geographic boundaries. Their song Po Boys became a number one hit down under, leading to appearances at major festivals and even a reality television show on Australian CMT.

When that song went to number one over there, we went and did what they have, what they call the CMC Music Fest.  It was like Jamboree in the Hills back in the day. And then we had a reality television show on their CMT over there.”

Perhaps most remarkable about the Davisson Brothers Band is how they’ve managed to nurture the next generation of family musicians while maintaining their own artistic growth. The interview revealed a particularly touching aspect of their story: the emergence of sons Nick and nephew Landon as artists in their own right.

These boys here, Nicholas, Jared, and Lanham, have been on stage with us since they were three years old. Now Nick Davidson has his own career starting. And he’s about to put out some music. Then Lanham is about to put out some music. Lanham McFadden and Jared B. But these boys have been on stage with us since they were three years old.”

The pride in Chris’s voice was unmistakable as he described watching these young men, who literally grew up on stage, now stepping into their own as artists. Their performance of Chris Stapleton’s Tennessee Whiskey during the rain-shortened set demonstrated not just their vocal abilities but their understanding of how to honor both tradition and contemporary country music.

They also write all their own music, these two boys. But since this was a new audience for them, we did a cover song, which they killed it on.”

The band’s upcoming tour with Oliver Anthony represents perhaps their biggest mainstream breakthrough to date. Anthony’s meteoric rise with Rich Men North of Richmond has opened doors for authentic Appalachian artists like the Davisson Brothers, who’ve found themselves at the center of a cultural movement that values genuine mountain music over polished Nashville productions.

We’re currently on tour with Oliver Anthony, who is the biggest breakout artist of the last two years. He’s broken every traditional country chart with his spiral hit, Rich Men North of Richmond.

The connection goes deeper than just touring together. Chris was involved in the recording process for Anthony’s latest single “Scorn for Warming,” which went to number one on the charts. The collaboration represents a meeting of minds between established mountain musicians and the new wave of authentic country artists who are challenging Nashville’s commercial approach.

He went to an old farmhouse down in West Virginia and recorded it and made the video. It just went number one on all the charts. And the video was trending at number five.

The band’s recent appearance at Joe Rogan’s comedy club, The Mothership, in Austin, Texas, marked another milestone in their career. Being the first musical act to perform at the venue speaks to their crossover appeal and the cultural moment they’re helping to define.

We also just got to be the first ever act to play Joe Rogan’s Mothership in Austin, Texas. Three weeks ago, with Oliver Anthony. Joe Rogan invited us down, and Oliver did the podcast, and we filmed and recorded the first ever music in the comedy club, the mother ship.”

The significance wasn’t lost on them. In an era where authentic voices are increasingly valued over manufactured ones, the Davisson Brothers Band represents something that resonates beyond traditional country music audiences. Their appearance on one of the most influential platforms in American media demonstrates how far their mountain music has traveled.

Their latest album, Home Is Where the Heart Is, was produced by Brent Cobb and David “Ferg” Ferguson, and features Tim O’Brien, Rob McCoury, Stewart Duncan, Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman, Ronnie Bowman, Kyle Tuttle, Lindsay Lou, and more. The record represents both an artistic peak and a personal statement about their identity as musicians.

That record was awesome. That was kind of a record for my brother and I. The family. It was like we weren’t trying to write for the radio. We weren’t trying to write hit songs on the radio. It was more just writing what was happening with us.”

The album process, recorded at the legendary Cowboy Jack Studio in Nashville, where Johnny Cash once laid down tracks, brought together musical heroes and friends in an atmosphere that prioritized authenticity over commercial considerations.

We recorded it at the original Cowboy Jack Studio in Nashville. We got to record it with Brent Cobb, produced it with David Ferguson on 30. And it was cool to have our buddies producing it too… We’ve got guys that were our heroes from the Del McCoury band and Leftover Salmon to guys like Tim O’Brien.

The creative process involved whittling down about 50 some songs to the final twelve tracks, a challenge that speaks to their prolific songwriting and the difficulty of capturing their full artistic vision in a single release.

Beyond their musical achievements, the Davisson Brothers Band serves as cultural ambassadors for a region that’s often misunderstood or stereotyped in popular media. Their success provides a platform for sharing the rich musical traditions of Appalachia while dispelling misconceptions about mountain culture.

We’re just a family group going up and down the road, doing what we know and representing West Virginia, Appalachia, and our family culture and heritage. And kind of waving that West Virginia flag everywhere we go.”

This representation goes beyond symbolism. Their music carries the stories, struggles, and triumphs of their community, offering audiences worldwide a genuine glimpse into Appalachian life. In an industry often criticized for its lack of authenticity, they provide something increasingly rare: music that emerges organically from lived experience rather than marketing calculations.

Perhaps what strikes me most about the Davisson Brothers Band is their understanding of music as both art and inheritance. They’re not just performing songs; they’re maintaining a cultural tradition that connects past, present, and future generations. The sight of multiple generations sharing the stage represents something increasingly rare in modern music: genuine intergenerational collaboration.

We just had a viral video with our dad… three generations of Davidson were singing and it went viral. And we just keep going up the ladder and doing what we love to do, and trying to build a future for the young boys and set an example.

Their approach to nurturing young talent within the family structure provides a model for how traditional music can evolve without losing its essential character. By bringing their children up on stage from an early age, they’ve created a learning environment that no music school could replicate.

As our conversation wound down and the band prepared to load their equipment for the next show, I reflected on how the weather-shortened performance had provided something more valuable than a full concert set: insight into the character and philosophy of artists who view setbacks as opportunities and who measure success not just in terms of career achievements, but in terms of family legacy and cultural preservation.

The Davisson Brothers Band represents something essential in American music: the continuation of authentic traditions by artists who understand that their role extends beyond entertainment to cultural stewardship. In an era of manufactured personas and algorithm-driven playlists, they offer something increasingly precious: music that emerges from real places, real people, and real experiences.

Their story isn’t just about three brothers from West Virginia who made it in the music business. It’s about the power of family, the importance of cultural heritage, and the way that authentic artistry can transcend geographic and social boundaries to connect with audiences around the world.

As they prepared to continue their tour with Oliver Anthony and plan for future projects including the young family members’ solo careers, one thing was clear: the Davisson Brothers Band isn’t just preserving Appalachian musical traditions—they’re actively writing the next chapter of that story, ensuring that the mountain music legacy continues to evolve and inspire for generations to come.

The goal is to continue to carry on our family tradition… And I like the thing that we just keep growing and learning. We’re still learning every day and trying to teach these young next generation.

They’re not selling an image—they’re living an inheritance. They stand at the intersection of tradition and tomorrow, singing through storms, bringing crowds together like church congregations in the rain.

On this day at the Old Washington Music Festival, through torn-out songs, downed wires, damp amps, drenched feet, and last-minute interview requests, they delivered more than music. They offered a testimonial that music, forged in mountain mud and generations of a family, rises above storms.