The Arts

A swinging country-ified Christmas

Sweetback Sisters bring back their sing-along holiday show to NEYT

By Richard Henke/The Commons

BRATTLEBORO—The Sweetback Sisters’ Country Christmas Singalong Spectacular, with singers Emily Miller and Zara Bode, is returning for its fourth year at the New England Youth Theatre, on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m.

This popular audience participation show requires only a willingness to sing and a love of holiday music.

Lyric sheets will be provided for the audience singalong. All the songs are presented with the Sweetback Sisters’ signature mix of harmony singing, rollicking Telecaster guitar, and twin fiddling, along with a healthy dose of holiday cheer. The 2011 show sold out.

Bode describes the band’s style as an eclectic mixture of honky-tonk and rockabilly.

“I would call it edgy retro,” she says.

The group takes their inspiration from the Davis Sisters and Louvin Brothers, as well as the spirited honky tonk energy of Wanda Jackson and Loretta Lynn. In this concert, The Sweetback Sisters turn to the canon of Christmas and holiday songs, arranged in a youthful yet nostalgic way.

A few things about the Sweetback Sisters need to be clarified, however.

Although publicized as “Brooklyn’s favorite country band,” the group no longer resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. Miller has moved to the back roads of West Virginia, and Bode has just bought a house right here in Brattleboro.

Nor are Sweetback Sisters Emily and Zara actually blood relations.

Furthermore, they are not sole members of the ensemble.

While the center of group is Emily and Zara, who sing lead vocals and play the guitar (Emily also plays fiddle), they are joined by Jesse Milnes on fiddle, finger-picking guitar and harmony vocals; Ross Bellenoit on electric guitar and harmony vocals; Peter Bitenc on upright bass; and Stefan Amidon on drums and bass vocals.

“Everyone in the band also sings,” says Bode. “It is a pre-requisite for joining. There is three or four part harmony singing, and we let the boys lead the singing on a song or two.”

Brattleboro native Stefan, also a member of his own family band The Amidons, is Zara’s fiancé and one of the most compelling reasons Bode has moved to southern Vermont. But he is hardly the only reason.

“I love New England and have long had a big fan base in Northampton, (Mass.),” she says.

Making the connection

Zara met her fellow lead singer Emily in Germany when trying out for leads in Northern Harmony, an a cappella choir from Plainfield.

“They were on an international tour and needed singers,” Zara says.

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