About Us
The musicians
Aaron Soots - guitar/vocals. If Aaron is not playing guitar, he is practicing guitar. A gifted musician, and an integral part of The Local Boys. Experience - 18 yrs.
Tommy Rapè - banjo/vocals. Born in Georgia, raised in North Carolina. Traditionally rooted and technically accomplished, his fit with this ensemble is unrivaled. Experience - 36 yrs.
Eric Childers - dobro/vocals. Eric has a rare talent. While he can play any form of music, his approach is strongly traditional. From Monroe to Monk, his style and versatility blend beautifully with his bandmates. Experience - 34 yrs.
Steve Holman - lead/rhythm guitar/cello/vocals. Born and still residing in Wilkesboro, NC. His knowledge of music and music theory brings a technical and necessary approach to the band's selections. Experience - 20 yrs.
Todd McCloud - bass/vocals. With incredible lead and harmony vocals, Todd adds a warm and inviting style that matches perfectly with this ensemble. Experience - 17 yrs
The Local Boys have a combined stage experience of over 120 years!
Our sound
The Local Boys are a band that has been waiting for the appellation "Americana", as "Bluegrass" just doesn't cover the material they do. With all members of The Local Boys having deep roots in traditional music, they have a love for the musical styles that influenced and evolved from old time, country, and bluegrass.
The Local Boys are fairly standard in their acoustic instrumental arrangement. Lead Guitar, Banjo, Dobro, Rhythm Guitar, and Bass. Additional instruments may be available upon request including mandolin, fiddle, classical violin, cello, and percussion. They can accommodate as a duo, all the way to a large production band! All members of the band are superb lead and harmony vocalists. This gives them the ability to find the perfect combination of voices to render any song.
The Local Boys have performed at Merlefest the last 20 years running. In addition, they've hosted the Plaza Stage with the late, Grammy award winning, Tut Taylor. They actively participate in the outreach program, sponsored by Merlefest, bringing music to surrounding area schools. Look for them at the festival this year!
Upcoming events
Saturday, 7/14/18 - Private Party - Hendersonville, NC
Saturday, 7/21/18 - Engagement Party - Newland, NC
Wednesday, 7/25/18 - Corporate Function - Charlotte, NC
Wednesday, 8/1/18 - Foothills Brewpub - Winston-Salem, NC
Saturday, 9/1/18 - Wedding - Abingdon, VA
Friday, 9/14/18 - Foothills Brewing Tasting Room - Winston-Salem, NC
Friday, 9/28/18 - Fletcher Feed & Seed - Fletcher, NC
Saturday, 10/6/18 - Brushy Mountain Apple Festival - North Wilkesboro, NC
Friday, 10/19/18 - Rehearsal Dinner - West Jefferson, NC
Saturday, 10/20/18 - Wedding - Holly Springs, NC
Saturday, 10/27/18 - Wedding Reception - Kernersville, NC
Saturday, 12/1/18 - Wedding - Valle Crucis, NC
Let us be your band!
The Local Boys are available for festivals, weddings, corporate events, private parties, and more!
Check out these reviews from recent shows!
Laura P. from Chapel Hill, NC - 9/23/17
We had a wonderful time at our wedding reception in September in Chapel Hill with the help of this band! The Local Boys are courteous and professional and very skilled musicians. We appreciated their flexibility to play a set outside early in the evening and end the night inside the barn. They played our first dance song, Harvest Moon, perfectly! Our guests came from all over the country and had a variety of musical tastes; everyone had great time. Our guests from Wisconsin loved the Violent Femmes covers. Our guitar building, banjo playing relatives from WV were in heaven with the serious bluegrass songs. Thanks for a great party. Be well y'all!
Lora H. from Wilmington, NC - Corporate Event - 7/21/2017
Truly the nicest guys, they were extremely easy to work with and accommodating for our outdoor corporate event. With everything else I had to worry about (450+ attendees in 90 degree heat), it was so refreshing to have such a self sufficient and professional group of gentleman to work with. I would recommend them in a heartbeat and will most definitely be hiring them again for future events.
Clayton O. from Banner Elk, NC - 6/8/17
The Local Boys were fantastic. They arrived early to set up getting familiar with the surroundings and the needs of the audience. The music was superb and the crowd loved them. They played special requests and invited audience participation. They were received so positively I have contacted the producers of a music show on PBS to possibly feature them. The were that good! I would hire them again and hopefully have the need to hire again. I cannot say enough. Wonderful, marvelous! You can't go wrong with The Local Boys.
Sarah F. from Charlotte, NC - 6/3/17
I literally cannot say enough about these guys! I booked them for my husband's surprise 30th birthday party that we held in our backyard. We did a low country boil/bluegrass theme and The Local Boys rocked it! I worked directly with one of the lead singers Aaron who was very organized, responsive and professional. Our guests had an absolute BLAST and I received compliments about them all evening long. They were fun, talented and super friendly. If you are looking for a fun-loving group of musicians to bring your event to life, look no further. I will 100% book these guys again in the future. Thank you Local Boys!