The time is 15 minutes after 10 a.m. on a bright March morning when we hear the Jere Cherryholmes lugging his upright bass up the stairs. They’re 45 minutes early and, luckily, Steve got in the day before and extra early to prepare for the six-piece family band. Up to this point in time, four members was the capacity for a session in the American Songwriter office-leave it to Cherryholmes to push us to the max.

Their early arrival isn’t because of any mix-up; this clan is a class act from beginning to end. After moving in some carpet squares so they can tap their feet to keep time, Sandy Lee-matriarchal and honey-sweet at the same time-explains how all this started. After the loss of their eldest daughter in 1999, the family attended a bluegrass festival near their home in Bell, California, in hopes of taking their minds off of things. After the festival, they couldn’t stop thinking about bluegrass, so Jere and Sandy Lee assigned the kids instruments, and the family literally absorbed all the bluegrass music they could get their hands on. Sandy tells us how they would order tapes to pick up anything they could to learn. In the back of our minds, we’re thinking within six years of starting this family band, they’ll be named Entertainers of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (they won in 2005).

Cia Leigh, on banjo, lets Sandy know they’re all ready to go and rushes to tune-up her guitar. B.J. readies his mandolin, he’s also an excellent fiddler, and takes up lead vocals on the driving number “Bleeding.” Halfway through the first take, we scurry to pick our jaws up off the floor; the band sounds full, bold and tight. Skip (on guitar), Cia Leigh and Molly Kate (on fiddle) move effortlessly to and from the mics in our cramped office to supply back-up vocals and solo on their respective instruments while Jere-on a broken leg, we later learn-calmly observes and keeps time with Sandy Lee on rhythm.

Apparently, the songwriting comes off in the same way, with everyone writing on their own, then bringing energetic and authentic songs to the family to divvy up parts.

After five songs, we don’t want them to quit, but are so floored by their talent that we can’t formulate words to request another song.

Read about the gear we used to record them.

Check out the Country Way, Volume 2 tracklisting here.