Bluegrass has run through the veins of Americans since the 1940s. The soulful genre has evolved through generations, bringing families together under its acoustic and eccentric melodies.
Barrett Maravilla was a child when he began learning to play piano and later picked up the mandolin so he could join his sister, brother and father in their bluegrass band. As their talent evolved, his siblings eventually moved on in their lives and Maravilla and his father continued their musical journey. While performing at one of Krazy Kup’s monthly Bluegrass Jam events, they bumped into Morgan Brake and her father. Their band, Duck Wallow Lane, was firmly in the spotlight shortly afterward.
Comprised of Morgan and Barrett, along with Barrett’s father Michael Maravilla, Brake’s father Beau Brake and fifth band member Nathan Beaumont, they’ve crafted a loyal local following and are touring the state. Brake said Maravilla’s father taught her how to play guitar and their families began spending hours every week jamming together and evolving their sessions into a unique and experienced sound.
“We merged about a year ago, last summer, and have been playing together ever since,” Maravilla said. “It’s been something that was passed down through my family. We all learned how to play and all of us spent time in a band together. Then Morgan came along and we’ve continued to grow with her.”
Maravilla, 16, and Brake, 14, said they’ve received a wide range of responses from their fellow bluegrass lovers when they see such young performers take the stage. They’re talented, and their talent shines when they lean into creating their soulful rhythm for the audience. Maravilla said the overwhelming response is simply encouragement.
Bluegrass has the reputation of being an “older sound,” so two teenagers diving headfirst into the genre catches many by surprise. Maravilla said many have come up after they perform and let them know they’re excited to see generational progress carried on through the young duo in the genre they all hold so dear.
It truly is a family process. Brake helps bring songs to life, strumming out cords as she works on lyrics with her mom. Maravilla’s father writes music as well and together they’ve created a setlist that adds a new twist to the genre.
Pursing their passions, Brake and Maravilla applied to be two of the 30 participants selected for the Kids on Bluegrass (KOB) program at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass Week that is held in Raleigh, NC. Their talent paid off and they were selected and spent the week alongside their fellow young musicians. Last year alone the week attracted more than 220,000 visitors and generated more than $12 million dollars in revenue.
“It was a little nerve-racking because everyone was so talented,” Brake said. “It really was a crazy experience. Everywhere you turned, someone was carrying an instrument. It was a lot of fun… You don’t really see, especially in our area, a lot of other kids performing bluegrass. It was so encouraging to go and really see that there are a lot of us out there, that this is something that is going to grow and continue.”
Duck Wallow Lane has recently performed at the Kissimmee Bluegrass Festival and the Braden River Bluegrass Festival. You can also find them around town at places like Krazy Kup. If you’d like to see them in person the band will be playing every Saturday and Sunday afternoon in October at Fox Squirrel Corn Maze, 3002 Charlie Taylor Road North.
Brake and Maravilla’s passion for their craft is evident in how they perform. They pour so much of their time into their band because at their core, they have fallen in love with the music.
“You have to find something that motivates you, if you don’t love something you won’t stay with it,” Maravilla said. “For us, it was bluegrass. For others, it may be something else. If there’s something you like, go after it.”
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Follow: Duck Wallow Lane on Instagram and Facebook
Music: Check out their official music video “Let Me Know” on Youtube