A family of music
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on September 7, 2016 1:46 PM
FAISON -- The Bullard family of Faison loves to make music together. The entire family of father, mother, sons and a set of grandparents all play musical instruments.
The family members began playing instruments at various ages in their lives, but now travel around the country, into Canada and to the Dominican Republic giving mini concerts for charity events and family gatherings.
The youngest member of the musical family is 9-year-old Ben, who was just 4 when he started playing the violin. His family signed him up for lessons, but after a year of playing, he discovered that he loved it.
"My brother Cage also played some instruments and that gave me a big boost," he said. "I thought, 'if Cage can to it, I can do it.'"
Ben plays the mandolin and guitar, but the mandolin is his favorite because of all the creative things he can do with it.
"My favorite song is 'Rawhide' on the mandolin," he said. "I like how it makes me feel -- excited and happy."
Ben said sometimes people look at him and his brother and think they're both too young to be able to play various instruments.
"Sometimes people look at us like they think we're not very good before we play," he said. "When they find out how good we are, it makes me feel good."
Brother Cage adds, "It makes me feel mischievous in a way."
Cage, who is 11, plays about 10 instruments, including fife, banjo, penny whistle, trumpet, guitar, upright bass, viola, cello and violin.
"I've been playing the violin for about six years now," he said. "At first I did not want to learn an instrument. My parents and grandparents made me. But I like it now, and I'm glad they made me."
After he learned the violin, Cage decided he wanted to play other instruments, too.
One his favorite songs is "East Tennessee Blues" on the violin.
He said music takes him through a gamut of emotions.
"In the 'Concerto in E Minor' you hear this anger bubbling up in you," Cage said. "The 'Poker River Blues' is a happy, beautiful song. It's the blue of the mountains and the blue of the river."
Mom, Elaine started playing the violin when she was 11. Before that, she took some guitar lessons from her father and piano lessons from her mother.
"But I got serious about music when I was 11 and took lessons through the school system where I grew up in Texas," she said. "I picked out the violin, I don't know why."
Father, Brian was playing piano when he was in second grade.
"Mom made me play for 10 years," he said. "When I was in band, I played trumpet and the French horns and even drums briefly."
Elaine said a couple of years ago, Brian decided he needed to get in on the family act.
"He had played some instruments growing up, but had taken decades off," she said.
Now he plays the upright bass, and for a good reason.
"That was about the only instrument that wasn't already being played in the family," Brian said. "And the bass makes everybody else sound good."
Dr. A.J. Bullard, the boys' grandfather, didn't take up an instrument until he was in his 50s.
"I always liked the songs," he said. "I'd listen to them and say to myself, 'Some day I want to play them.' It was on the back burner for many years, though."
One day after A.J. got through with several other obligations, he saw a little crack in the time schedule and decided it was now or never. He took up the guitar and began singing.
His favorite song is "You Are My Sunshine."
As a child, Barbara Bullard played the piano.
"I never wanted to take piano lessons," she said. "I always wanted to play the violin. It was born in me. I joined the orchestra in high school in the ninth grade and started playing violin. I just thought it was a beautiful sounding instrument."
She has played a lot with Cage and Ben.
"When the boys first started playing, they would come to my house and do their practicing before breakfast before school every morning," Barbara said. "I would practice with them. Then we'd have breakfast together and they'd go off to school."
Now that they have honed their skills, the family members play at various events. They've been to a few Scottish fiddling camps, festivals and even music camps. Cage and Ben have played at the North Carolina State Fair the past three years.
The family visited Washington, D.C., this summer, where Cage and Ben participated in scouting events, including helping lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and performed for a luncheon at the National Cathedral.
"We also look for great musicians where we can get backstage passes," Elaine said. "Ben played a mandolin song for (country singer) Ricky Skaggs one time. Cage played 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' fiddle part for Charlie Daniels and he also played with the Super Grit Cowboy Band."
The boys are also popular on YouTube.
"Cage has been invited to play his bugle at a Normandy Invasion Re-enactment in France," Elaine said.
Cage said he will "probably bring the light of bluegrass all the way to Europe."
"Playing as a family, it bonds us," Elaine said.
Brian calls it a "wonderful thing. I really like what a blessing it has been watching my boys share their talents. It makes me feel good."