| The Petersens | |
| Origin: | Branson, Missouri, US |
| Years Active: | 2005–present |
| Current Members: | Katie Petersen Ellen Petersen Haygood Matt Petersen Julianne Petersen Karen Petersen Emmett Franz Jon Petersen |
The Petersens are an American bluegrass family band from Branson, Missouri. Since the group's inception, they have been a regular feature on Country Music and Bluegrass television specials.
The Petersen children grew up playing music together, but first heard bluegrass in 2003 at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival. The band was formed and held their first performance in 2005 at the First Christian Church of Mountain Grove, Missouri,[1] their mother's hometown church.
The band was originally composed of siblings Katie (on fiddle), Ellen (on banjo), Matt (on bass), Julianne (song and dance), their mother, Karen (on mandolin), and their father, Jon (on guitar). Over time, Julianne switched to mandolin, Karen switched to bass, and Matt switched to guitar. Jon switched to piano on some of their gospel songs. These early performances were mostly held initially in local festivals, churches, and cafes.[2]
In 2010, the band won the CAM Gospel Sing-Off[3] competition at the Sight & Sound Theatre in Branson, which performance caught the attention of the IMAX Entertainment Complex, where they were invited to play regularly at the Little Opry Theater for the entertainment of local and state residents.
In 2015, the band received international recognition when their banjo player Ellen Petersen competed in the singing reality TV show, American Idol, placing in the top 48.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] In 2017, Emmett Franz joined the band as their dobro player.
In 2018, the band placed 4th in the International Bluegrass Music Competition in Nashville.[9]
Katie Petersen, vocalist and composer, has composed "California" and "My Ozark Mountain Home". The latter is a tribute to the Ozarks and was named the first official song by the City of Branson in 2023.[10] Julianne Petersen is a multi-talented performer with a history of buck-dancing whilst playing the violin at the same time.
The band has received praise from music professionals in the United Kingdom, who see the group as unique in the genre of bluegrass music.[11]
The band has also covered songs by other musicians, such as Dolly Parton's "Jolene," which has more than 17 million views on YouTube, and "Take Me Home, Country Roads" which gained 20 million views in twelve months.[12]
Prior to 2019, The Petersens had performed to audiences throughout the continental United States, in Canada, and Ireland. In early 2019, they toured Ireland again, as well as the United Kingdom.[13] In late 2019, The Petersens went on additional singing tours to Finland and to Ireland, the trip to Ireland being the group's fourth tour of that country. Social media platforms are often used to document their performances and recordings.
| Title | Release date | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travelin’ Shoes - the Petersen Family Band (EP)[14] | |||
| Finally Going Home - The Petersens[15] | |||
| Shenandoah - The Petersens | CD Baby[16] | ||
| Homesick for a Country | The Petersens[17] | ||
| Gentle on My Mind - The Petersens (EP) | CD Baby | ||
| The Petersens - Live Sessions, vol. 01[18] | |||
| The Petersens - Live Sessions, vol. 02 | |||
| Christmas with the Petersens | CD Baby | ||
| The Petersens - Live Sessions, vol. 03 | |||
| The Petersens - Live Sessions, vol. 04 | |||
| My Ozark Mountain Home | |||
| We Don’t Need Anything This Year |
Several of the group's newer releases, as well as covers of other artists, have been made available on Spotify[19] and iTunes.[20]