Three brothers who get along, and make fantastic music in a band together? That is what you get with Charlottesville, VA based band, Sons of Bill. The band, voted best band in Charlottesville 4 years in a row, is comprised of siblings Sam Wilson, James Wilson, and Abe Wilson, with Seth Green and Todd Wellons rounding out the talented lineup. The band is currently touring in support of their "Sirens" CD, as well as their soon to be released EP, coming out in early 2014.

Sam and James Wilson talked to us about what it is like performing with family, where their inspiration comes from, and where the band is headed in this interview. We also shot video of the band performing a few songs, including "Bad Dancer" from the upcoming release.

A lot of things are born out of something simple, and that is the case with the Kopecky Family Band. The "family" came together after a game night and someone pulling out a guitar being passed around. Kelsey Kopecky and Gabe Simon soon after pulled together a talented group of friends, and they have been having fun and making inspired music ever since.

"Truegrass, piled high with pop and newgrass, lightly salted with some soul-shaking gospel."

That is how Atlanta based - band, DejaBlue Grass describes themselves. One thing that is definite is that the guys in the band put friendship and fun at the top of their list for playing together.

The band, accompanied by special guest Will Clark, sat down backstage at a recent show and we pretty much let them create their own interview as they riffed off each other, and in the process, told the story of the band. Then they took the stage and showed us how much fun they have and how talented they are.

Click through to see the interview and watch video of them performing live.

If you have read any stories here on Carolina Mixer, chances are you have also viewed photos from talented contributing music photojournalist, April Britt-Kelly aka "Mother Shutter". April has put together some cool videos showing a collection of photos from the last year, and accompanied by music from local musicians. Click though to take a stroll down memory lane, as well as to possibly hear some new original music from people you may not have had a chance to check out yet.

Tonight’s Noise, with Matt Fassas on guitar, Sam Kruer on bass, and Matt Purinton on mandolin, are a Greenville, SC based band. Matt and Sam, transplants from Kentucky, put down roots in Greenville several years ago after visits to a friend, who always seemed to be able to book them into some great gigs in the rising Upstate music scene. They soon joined forces with Matt, and Tonight’s Noise was born.

The guys from the band sat down with us prior to one of their performances, so check out the interview video, video of them performing, and photos of the band.

Alynda Lee Segarra, or as she is also known, "Hurray For The Riff Raff", has traveled the world, performing for newly found fans along with others who have already discovered her talent. We caught up to Alynda at a show.

The Deadfields are known for their ear catching fun original songs, but they also love to throw their own spin on popular songs from a variety of artists and genres. We've pulled together a collection of a couple of the covers that the Carolina Mixer team has captured of the band. From Johnny Cash to Nirvana, The Deadfields make each song their own. You can hear and see more of The Deadfields, as well as check out tour dates at www.TheDeadfields.com

Bluegrass isn't supposed to be "party music", is it? Apparently it is when the Dejablue Grass Band plays it. The band, comprised of five members that hail from such exotic locales as Utah, Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, and Georgia manage to inject a punk rock feel into traditional Bluegrass music, making it easy to get up on your feet and rock out. Don't get me wrong - the Atlanta based band still treats the music with reverence, and some of their songs remain true to the classic styles, but they also enjoy "turning it up to eleven", and really rocking the strings.

In the early 60's, the seeds were planted for what would become one of the most iconic bands in history. The Marshall Tucker Band founding members Toy and Tommy Caldwell, Doug Gray, Franklin Wilkie, Jerry Eubanks, and George McCorkle were playing in the music scene around Spartanburg SC, the "home base" for MTB, in bands such as "The Toy Factory" (named after Toy Caldwell).

All of them young men, their aspirations were put on hold when several of them were called into service in Vietnam, including Toy, who suffered injuries while there.

After serving their duty, the deployed musicians returned home, and resumed performing as the Toy Factory in the bars around Spartanburg, often opening for established acts, including the Allman Brothers.

Since helping found Hampton Grease Band in Atlanta in the late 60's, Colonel Bruce Hampton (aka Gustav Bergklund III), has played with and jammed in bands that have kept fans grooving throughout the World.In addition to his own bands, such as The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Fiji Mariners, and The Last Bronze age, Bruce has been a guest musician on many other artists records, and has sat in with them during shows.

Tommy Smith, Matt Johnson, and Mike Lloyd from Leogun sat down with Carolina Mixer prior to their show at Charter Amphitheatre in Simpsonville, SC and talked to us about their influences, what the ride has been like so far, and their dedication to putting some badassery back into Rock. (You can check out video of the interview, as well as photos of the band by courtesy of Mother Shutter Photography at the end of the story.)

Captain and Maybelle recently sat down with us to talk about their skills and show, and then showcased their talents by performing the Human Blockhead stunt, as well as their abilities to lift items using a variety of piercings. As you can see in the videos (below the photos), their talent as entertainers is just as good as their talents performing stunts.

Since the Spring of 2000, Charleston band Sol Driven Train has been entertaining crowds with their mixture of horns, percussion, guitar, and multiple vocalists. Their reputation is built upon their ability to entertain in a live setting - the reason why they have won multiple awards, including being named the 2011 "Rock Band Of The Year" by the Charleston City Paper. If you haven't heard their music, you can check out their CDs online.

Dread Clampitt Performed "With The Help Of Your Love" at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 2012, and Carolina Mixer was there to capture it. When Grayton Beach, FL band, Dread Clampitt brings their mixture of rock, country, blues, soul, and a few other styles to the stage, it always makes for a great time.

Dread Clampitt - http://www.dreadclampitt.com
Albino Skunk Music Festival - http://www.albinoskunk.com

Colorado band "Elephant Revival" performed two sets at the Albino Skunk Music Festival, and the crowd enjoyed every minute of their performance.

Bonnie Paine's vocals and washboard playing are almost hypnotizing, and the rest of the band are equally amazing at their respective instruments.

It is difficult to categorize Elephant Revival's music, so we'll avoid the classic labels and just call it "INCREDIBLE".

There was no doubt that LL Cool J is appropriately named, as the Ladies do love him, judging by the screams from the audience and the line to get a rose during "Doin' It". LL didn't disappoint, performing songs like "Hey Lover", "I Need Love", and "Around The Way Girl". But LL appeals to the guys as well, with his hard hitting rap anthems that include "I'm Bad" and "Mama Said Knock You Out".