by Karl Sorne
“We’ve already made it. All of us get to play music with people we love, and people come pay to see us play. In 2016, that’s making it.”
Every song by The New 76ers is written for someone. There isn’t a track that doesn’t point directly at a person dear to them or some sort of life experience. The moments create the music and every track is rooted in who they are as people, the good and the bad. This becomes hard to ignore as it wells up into their music. Husband and wife Danny and Kelly Goddard, and her brother Brian Durham, started playing together so long ago that they can’t remember exactly when. They were in other bands and serendipitously they ended up playing a show together. That performance made it abundantly clear, they had to keep playing together.
As devoted to each other as they are, it’s no wonder that audiences everywhere create such a strong connection with them. Whether playing to 30 people or 2,000, as long as they get to share food, song, and a bit of spirits with those present, The New 76ers believe that the true beauty of their music is to create a lasting connection with their listeners. “We really want to spread positivity and love, you know, through our music. So, I think that is the authenticity,” Kelly said. Without that level of commitment to those that partake in their shows or albums, they may wither and fade. They are creating and giving to their audience in such a way that demands a vulnerability from them, but also from us as listeners. In order to get that full 76er experience you need to be front and center, liquid courage in hand as they open up into their heart song.
“We try to be in the moment. When you feel yourself getting drawn to the stage everything else goes away and you embrace that moment. And for us we try to stay focused on letting that moment be between the three of us,” Danny said. It is something they echo again and again. They allow themselves to be taught by the moment they are creating with their audience. Unlike other art forms, there is no permanence to most of what they do, and because of that they value the emotion and energy created for those involved. “Start. Start playing. No judgments. We’ve done everything we could in the beginning to clear mistakes [Laughs]” Brian said. “Wherever we go people are receptive of what we are doing and we don’t have any fear about it.”
The New 76ers will be playing at Tallahassee’s Winter Festival this year with various shows to follow in 2017. Check out their website acoustichappiness.com to find out more.
