When it comes to keeping busy, The Malpass Brothers’ break-neck pace might leave some fellow artists breathless. That hard-charging work ethic is all they know, instilled in them by their parents, and cemented by Country Music legend, longtime friend and former employer Merle Haggard.
“We’ve been doing this so long, you’d think we would’ve improved,” Chris Malpass jokes.
“Merle had lived such an insane life,” Taylor Malpass explains of Haggard’s difficult, but meteoric rise to superstardom. “To come from where he came from, to getting into trouble, to making something of himself.”
The Brothers marvel at how discovering music took Haggard from being a California prison inmate, to country music stardom, to – now legendary status, both as an artist and a prolific, poetic songwriter.
Chris and Taylor toured with Haggard – as members of his band – for 7 years, and that experience left an indelible mark on them, both personally and professionally.
“The week after I graduated high school, I flew to California and went on tour with Merle,” Talyor recalls.
“Merle told us right away, you can’t do this half-way,” Taylor says. “You have to put both feet into this. More success only means more work and more challenges to overcome.”
Now, more than 20 years later, Haggards words ring true more as a prediction, than advice. Hard work brought success, and success meant more work. The Brothers keep the road hot with tour dates across the country, and the RFD-TV Network just green-lighted a second season of their sizzlingly successful The Malpass Brothers Show.
Even that pales in comparison to another accomplished milestone. In 2019, Chris and Taylor made their Grand Ole Opry debut – fulfilling a lifelong dream for both. Since then, they’ve played on Country Music’s most storied stage, several times, living that dream.
“I would’ve never imagined I would one day go to the bank and cash a check from the Grand Ole Opry,” Taylor says withmgenuine surprise in his voice.
“I’ve never wanted to be a star,” Chris chimes in. “I just want to keep our heroes’ music alive and show people the kind of music we write and sing.”
As grateful as they are for the opportunity to play there, they still hold out hope for an invitation to join the Opry
“Opry membership would be better than selling a million records,” Chris adds.
While the Opry works to balance modern-day country with tradition, you can bet The Malpass Brothers keep a close eye on up-and-comers, carrying the traditional banner. Both cite Jake Worthington and Zach Top as “today” artists keeping it country.
As for their own shows, they get a thrill seeing more young people in their audiences.
For the Malpass Brothers, music is a family business. Both Chris and Taylor are married with children, and admit touring takes a toll. When their bodies are on the road, their hearts are at home.
Yet somehow, despite the occasional sibling squabble, their brotherly bond somehow softens the curves and flattens the bumps of life on the road.
“Taylor is so talented,” Chris boasts of his younger brother. “He doesn’t have to practice. It comes naturally.”
“Of course we argue – we’re brother,” Taylor laughs. “But it’s a blessing to do what I do with my brother.
ABOUT THE MALPASS BROTHERS
It was a transformative moment when two young brothers discovered their grandfather Malpass’ LPs collection. Drawn like a moth to a flame, the classic-filled treasure trove from the golden era of traditional country music gathered little dust in the Malpass household. Chris and Taylor studied the brother-harmony bluegrass duos of Jim & Jesse, the Louvin and Wilburn Brothers and bathed in the sounds of Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard.
Modern-day troubadours who carry the torch for traditional country music, The Malpass Brothers began singing and playing together professionally at a very young age.
While Taylor finished high school, Chris began honing his songwriting skills, and working with steel guitar legend, Don Helms—an original member of the Drifting Cowboys. A few years later, he found himself on Merle Haggard’s bus, singing and performing for Merle on his 000 Martin guitar. Taylor, in the meantime, played lead guitar in a local band, and upon graduation, flew out to Redding, CA to join his brother as the opening act for Merle Haggard for the next seven years.
In 2011, Haggard produced The Malpass Brothers’ debut album, Memory That Bad on Hag Records. In 2015, Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee, Doyle Lawson picked up the gauntlet and produced their sophomore, self-titled album on Organic Records, and in 2017, The Malpass Brothers released a live album, Live at the Paramount.
Their most recent album, Lonely Street, also produced by Lawson alongside Ben Isaacs (of the multi-Dove Award-winning/Grammy nominated group The Isaacs), may be their strongest project to date. Notably engineered by the late Grammy Award-winning Mark Capps under the oversight of Executive Producer, Dan Mann, the 12-song album teems with brand new, traditional country music that sounds as if it were curated from a classic country jukebox. Chris Malpass wrote the majority of the songs, including co-writes with Dickey Lee, Shawn Camp, Conrad Fisher and Taylor Dunn. The album also includes cover nods like “Love Slips Away” by Merle Haggard and Jeannie Seely’s “We Don’t.”
“May be just the kind of effort that saves country music from complete pop oblivion.”
– SteelGuitarForum.com