burke

Valdese Family Friday Nights Summer Concert series will feature Gal Friday Band.

Gal Friday is a country trio of sisters. When the sisters of country trio Gal Friday heard the term “girl Friday” described on television, they knew instantly it was the perfect name for their band. “A woman on television referred to her best friend as her ‘girl Friday’ - her confidant, her Friday night out, her ride-or-die,” says member Melissa York. “We tweaked it a bit, being from the south - and Gal Friday was born.” Comprised of York, Ashley Min and Lauren Wilson, the sound that accompanies the endearing name is a sonically pleasing blend of the best their upbringing had to offer: southern gospel, rock, bluegrass and country. Their synergistic sibling harmonies and bluegrass soul peppered with notes of southern rock has resulted in a style that is unique and undeniably catchy.

Raised in rural North Carolina and accompanying their parents - both bluegrass artists - while on tour, it was clear early on that music would play a huge role in the sisters’ lives. Though each took their own musical path, singing and picking up instruments in their own time, the siblings seemingly flawless harmonies had friends and family members encouraging them to join forces and follow in their parents’ footsteps. “We’ve always sang together for special events in and out of church,” says Ashley. “But, we weren’t the ones that came up with the idea to create a band. We love singing together, but it was actually other people that came up to us and said, ‘You guys are really good! Have you thought about starting a band?’ that really got us thinking about it.” While it took time for each sister to grow into her talents, by the age of adolescence the three began realizing they were better together than apart.

Soon after, the sisters took to writing music and developing their Gal Friday sound: a combination of rich harmonious melodies and meaningful lyrics. Eager to grow and draw on others’ talents, they found themselves in co-write sessions with greats Kim Tribble (“Guys Do It All the Time” for Mindy McCready, “I Can Still Feel You” for Collin Raye), Keesy Timmer (“Yeah Boy” for Kelsea Ballerini) and Tammy King (member, The SteeleDrivers). “We really enjoy writing with people who think outside of the box. It’s important to us to come at each song differently each time. Every write session, no matter who we’re writing with, has to be weird and it has to be fun. That’s the formula that works best for us,” says Melissa. “We typically write a batch of songs a year. It’s whenever the mood hits. Sometimes, we’ll get a creative streak; and sometimes, we’re simply inspired by things going on in our lives, our friend’s lives or our family’s lives. Inspiration comes from everywhere around us,” says Lauren.

Gal Friday stays busy touring, building a following in the southeast and opening for A-listers Keith Urban, Charles Esten, The Band Perry, LoCash, Jason Aldean, Lee Brice, Travis Tritt, Wynonna Judd, Chase Rice and Kellie Pickler, among others. They’re also gearing up for the release of debut single “Scrapyard”, available September 1st. The single offers fans a preview of upcoming album release “Smoke and Mirrors” - due out late September. “We’ve been working really hard on this stuff for a while now,” says Lauren. “So to actually be able to put it out there is incredibly exciting for us.”

Wilson, Min and York were raised with a love of music, and have been performing live for over nine years. They perform a mixture of country and southern rock to enthusiastic crowds all over the country. Hailing from Matthews, North Carolina, the sisters write original songs that are derived partially from their own life experiences. They sing of love, hope and rebellion, and deliver their soulful songs with passion.

According to Lesa Browing from Music Mix Daily, “these ladies know how to rock and roll…cowgirl style!”

Concessions will be available and provided by Valdese First Baptist Volunteers and downtown shops will remain open later. For further information about events in Valdese and the full Family Friday Night’s Concert Schedule, go to visitvaldese.com.