Brothers Osborne’s Bond With Fans Takes Center Stage at Nashville Show

Brothers Osborne had fans in the palms of their hands when they took the stage for a pre-CMA Fest show in Nashville on Tuesday, June 6.

Brothers Osborne’s Bond With Fans Takes Center Stage at Nashville Show
Brothers Osborne; Photos by Jim Casey and Jason Simanek/NASH

Brothers Osborne are the reigning ACM Vocal Duo of the Year and they proved why at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville on Tuesday (June 6). Headlining the show during CMA Fest week, the duo had the crowd in the palm of their hands for their entire hour-long set.

After opening with the Willie Nelson-esque “Greener Pastures,” the boys had fans singing along to “Rum,” who happily took over the chorus on their own when the Osbornes turned the mic over. “That’s what I’m talking about,” T.J. Osborne said, knowing the rest of the night would be just as successful. The crowd was equally as receptive to the boys’ new song, “Pour it On,” a rollicking, moody track with a bit of an edge, which really lets their guitar skills shine.

It was clear early on in the night that the show was just as much fan-driven as it was built on a set list created by the duo, who continuously asked for requests from the crowd, making the evening more personal. “If someone requests one of our songs, we gotta play it,” T.J. determined, staying true to his word when one fan shouted a request for “The Last One,” a song that wasn’t even cut on an album. “That’s a real fan right there,” T.J. accurately assessed before diving into the song that highlighted their musicianship, their chords syncing together perfectly on guitar. Though the twosome made their debut in 2013, earning their first hit single only two years later, they’ve already built a loyal fan base, recognizing a face in the crowd who’s been to numerous shows and requested one song in particular that they kept rejecting as it wasn’t the right time to play it, finally fulfilling her request with a performance of “Let’s Go There.”

Highlights of the night came when they invited John’s wife Lucie Silvas onstage to harmonize beautifully on “Loving Me Back” and got the crowd into their first top 5 hit, “Stay a Little Longer” before bringing the night to a fitting close with the foot-stomping “It Ain’t My Fault” that found the brothers lost in the middle of a 2-3 minute guitar jam session, seeming to almost forget the crowd was there, who reminded them of their presence as they clapped a steady beat along with the music. “I’ll forever be grateful for all of ya’ll here,” T.J. humbly said before the night was over.

Brothers Osborne; Photos by Jim Casey and Jason Simanek/NASH

Brothers Osborne; Photos by Jim Casey and Jason Simanek/NASH

One element that stands out in their live show is the truly soulful sound and vibe that may not always come across on the radio. They exude such a sound with natural ease while poised on stage, armed with nothing but their guitars, voices and a backup drum every now and again, proving they don’t need much to entertain and keep the crowd captivated.

Before Brothers Osborne took the stage, Runaway June got fans warmed up with their killer opening set, dazzling the crowd with 45 minutes worth of songs that prove them as a statement-making act on the country scene. After opening their set with the fiery “Train Whistle,” they held the audience’s attention with their new single “Wild West” and career-saving song “I Can Make You Forget Her,” which landed them a record deal at Broken Bow Records. While their hit “Lipstick” was certainly a standout number of their performance, the fact that their haunting cover of Eric Paslay’s “She Don’t Love You,” co-written by Paslay and Runaway June’s Jennifer Wayne, and a mashup of some of Nelson’s biggest hits including “On the Road Again” and “Ramblin’ Fever” was just as noteworthy makes them a trio that is sure to be making music people will listen to for a long time.