The Guthrie Brothers have Holyoke crowd ‘Feelin’ Groovy’

    The 20th Century is sprinkled with famous name pairings such as Proctor & Gamble in the corporate world, Sears and Roebuck in retail, and Laurel & Hardy in comedy. One of the most iconic duos in the history of the music industry was Simon & Garfunkel.
    From the mid-1960s through the early 1970s, they were the quintessential folk-rock presence on radio. Building on the influences of ’50s duo, The Everly Brothers, and early ’60s folk music, Paul Simon crafted some of the era’s most beloved and enduring songs, and Art Garfunkel’s angelic voice was unique in popular music. It’s quite a challenge to take on the task of recreating these timeless songs and to perform them with the respect and dignity they deserve. Last Saturday evening, the Guthrie Brothers, presenting, Scarborough Fair — A Simon and Garfunkel Experience, did just that.
    The Phillips County Arts Council and Allied Entertainment presented the Guthrie Brothers as the third installment of the 2017-2018 concert series. Jeb and Jock Guthrie, via their skillful guitar playing and lovely vocal harmonies, took an appreciative audience of 156 music fans on a musical journey back to the 1960s as they performed a generous selection of the Simon & Garfunkel catalog.
    Opening the concert with “Sounds of Silence,” one of the most recognizable anthems of the ’60s, the audience was set for an evening of nostalgia and reminiscing. The Guthrie Brothers made their way through such classics as, “Homeward Bound,” “I am a Rock,” Hazy Shade of Winter” and “At the Zoo.”
    At one point in the first set, to demonstrate the influence the Everly Brothers had on Simon & Garfunkel and Simon’s songwriting, the Guthries performed spot-on versions of the Everly’s, “Dream” and “Bye Bye Love,” the latter turning into a sing-along with the audience. To close the first set, the Guthries invited the audience to sing the chorus of the popular “59th Street Bridge Song” or as it more commonly known, “Feelin’ Groovy.” The audience joined in without hesitation.
    After intermission the duo continued with more classic songs such as, “Mrs. Robinson,” “The Boxer,” “Cecilia” and “America.” The Guthries included an original song they had written for their father entitled, “In the Eyes of My Dad,” which tells of the lesson they learned from their father about treating other people equally. The highlights of the second set were, “Scarborough Fair” and “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” two of  the most iconic songs of the 1960s.
    From the easily identifiable guitar opening of “Scarborough Fair,” to its poetic style lyrics, the song has transcended the years and is still one of the most popular songs of all times. The gospel influenced “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” was Simon & Garfunkel’s biggest hit single. The Guthries performed a scaled down version using just two guitars and vocals, but the message and beauty of the song still came through — a testament to the talented brothers’ musical abilities.

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