The music made by Ellijay singer/songwriter Marlin Brackett is a little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, as well as a little bit bluegrass, folk, blues and several other styles under the wide umbrella of Americana.
“When we say Americana, a lot of times that means something different to different people, but that’s really what my music is,” Brackett said. “I feel like, with my songwriting, I’ve written a pretty wide range of stuff, from gospel to blues to straight-up country and bluegrassy and folkish stuff. It’s sort of an eclectic mix.”
Brackett and his band will give an audience a taste of that eclectic Americana stew when they play the George Link Jr. Gilmer Arts Playhouse Saturday, Nov. 19. The show starts at 7 p.m.
Formerly of Woodstock, Brackett has written songs and performed as a singer/songwriter since the mid-1990s. Before moving to Ellijay, he played at Eddie’s Attic and other Atlanta area songwriter venues including Smith’s Olde Bar and the Red Light Cafe.
For several years, he was a regular performer at the annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival in the late Byrds/Flying Burrito Brothers singer’s hometown of Waycross. Brackett has also been a frequent performer at the monthly Acoustic Blends showcases hosted by Gilmer Arts.
“My whole life, even as a kid, I’ve been into all these diverse styles of music,” he said. “I really lean toward roots music of all kinds, including Mississippi Delta blues. I played with a blues guy, Hal Beavers, for about 15 years. I like Cajun music, which is how I hooked up with (Cajun musician) Tony Balfa. I love old folk music, bluegrass and the early country and western stuff.”
Brackett grew up in a musical family in Marietta, where he was neighbors and friends with future Georgia Satellites guitarist Rick Richards. Several years later, Richards contributed to Brackett’s CD, “Down the Line,” which showcases Brackett’s knack for crafting uplifting ballads like “River of Life” and lonesome honky-tonk country songs like “Convict’s Heart.”
For the past few years, Brackett has been active in various Gilmer County groups including a duo with singer/guitarist and current bandmate Dwight Sanford called The Hanksome Strangers. Brackett said that project was inspired by the two’s love for classic country tunes by Hank Williams Sr. and others.
For the playhouse show, Brackett will be joined by Sanford on bass, Spencer Kirkpatrick on guitar and Adrian Stover on drums.
Sanford and Stover have both made names for themselves playing many venues around the county with bands and as solo acts.
“They are both such talented guys, and both of them can play several different instruments,” said Brackett.
Kirkpatrick, of Marietta, is a former member of the Atlanta Vibrations and southern rock band Hydra, who recorded for Capricorn Records in the ‘70s.
“Spencer was in the Atlanta Vibrations when he was 14 or 15. They actually opened for The Beatles at Fulton County Stadium,” said Brackett. “Back in the day, Hydra played all the pop festivals and had a real following around the whole Southeast.”
The playhouse show will feature solo and full band sets, Brackett noted.
“I’ll be doing a lot of my songs and maybe one of two cover songs in (each) set. For the first set, I’ll have that singer/songwriter approach with an acoustic guitar and harmonica on a few songs. That’s how I kind of cut my teeth playing Eddie’s Attic and songwriter haunts around Atlanta,” he said. “For the second set, we’ll kind of light it up with the full band,”
When not making or listening to music, Brackett is busy building houses with his company, Kitchen Chair Homebuilders. By now, he’s probably got enough material to fill several albums, but that’ll probably have to wait, at least while the housing market’s hot.
“I have enough good songs for three more albums. Now (that I’m) older, I feel my delivery from the stage is better than ever,” he said.
Brackett was originally scheduled to appear at the playhouse in 2020, but that gig was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.
He’s happy the show will finally go on, and it will feature the new group of musicians.
“I really appreciate the opportunity to share my version of life and living with other people. I’ve always appreciated people taking the time to stop and listen to what I have to say. I’m honored, really, that people would want to do that,” Brackett said.