Grant Orris has been in so many bands with Kevin Abbott over the past 50 years that he admits he can’t name all of the groups.
The two, whose band is “Kevin and Grant,” also feel as though they’ve come full-circle with their repertoire as they played hard rock that was once considered revolutionary — and now play those tunes, albeit toned down, for the same audiences who have turned into seniors.
Currently, they not only play at nursing facilities such as the Bradford Ecumenical Home and Chapel Ridge, but also hope to play at other facilities and for benefits with music from the ‘50s and ‘60s.
“We played from teenagers on up through and now we’re playing nursing homes,” Abbott summarized. “The scary part is, they know our songs.”
In looking back over the years, Abbott said the two of them, who are retired, knew each other from their college years and began playing music together in 1972. Abbott, who sings and plays drums, was attending Alfred University at the time, and Orris, who plays guitar, was at St. Bonaventure University. Both had played in high school with different bands and entertained at school dances.
“Grant and I played for different bands, or competing bands, you might say,’ Abbott recalled.
“We got together at the end of 1971 … we started “Triad” (in early 1972) which was the first band I was ever in with Grant.”
Over the years, the two played together for other bands and also produced an album in 1998 with other musicians called “52 Smiles a Year” which was a fundraiser for the McKean County SPCA.
Prior to forming their current duo, Orris and Abbott also played for a band called “Midnight Special” in 2016 and 2017 before it broke up.
Orris said that while Abbott pursued other musical avenues following that, he decided to play solo.
“For a year before Covid, I just played solo” at the nursing homes, Orris commented, noting he tentatively approached Abbott with a request last summer. “ I asked Kevin if he would want to sing in a nursing home, and he said ‘Yeah, I would love to do that.’”
Since that time, both said they have thoroughly enjoyed playing at the nursing homes.
“When I think back to when Kevin and I were just 20 years old and playing all this hard rock and roll … it’s kind of neat that we can now take that experience, soften it and bring it into these places and have fun with it,” Orris remarked. “I’m happy to be back playing with Kevin again and bringing all of the joy and happiness to the nursing home residents, especially when they sing along with the songs.”
“Kevin and Grant,” who plan to play at the Autumn Days Car Show on Sept. 12 in downtown Bradford, are also available for other performances.
For more information, they can be contacted by email at gococat@yahoo.com.
