Walker Family nine to perform country concert in Westminster

When Brett and Apryll Walker desire quality time with their seven children, they have ample opportunities.

The Walkers and their seven children travel on a tour bus together, eat meals together and make music together.

Such is gig life for The Redhead Express and The Walker Family bands.

The Walker nine will be in concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at Westminster High School. The concert is being presented by Carroll Live on Stage, formerly known as the Carroll County Community Concert Association.

The Walkers focus on country and feature Brett (vocals), Apryll (vocals, rhythm guitar) and children Kendra, 23, (lead vocals, lead guitar), LaRae, 21, (vocals, banjo), Alisa, 20, (vocals, fiddle), Meghan, 17, (vocals, bass); Sean, 14, (banjo), Joseph, 12 (mandolin) and Ammon, 10 (bass).

Kendra, LaRae, Alisa and Meghan comprise The Red Head Express

While Brett navigated the family tour bus on Interstate 81 in West Virginia en route to a concert in Northern Virginia, Apryll discussed with the Times how the family manages to get along in such tight quarters, their musical ambitions and their stage show.

Q: What's it like touring with your family?

A: I can't imagine having a normal life right now. We're always together. We love what we're doing. I can't imagine any other lifestyle but this.

Q: How long have you been performing together as a family?

A: It's been about six years. We lived in Alaska, got into music and decided to go study. We left Thanksgiving 2007 to go to the Appalachian and Ozark Mountains and we went in search of old old-timers, jam sessions, or anywhere else we could learn. A year later we wound up getting a job in Branson. We performed there for two years then moved to Nashville.

Q: I see the girls have a recording session scheduled with record producer Paul Worley of Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum fame this summer, correct?

A: Yep. We're excited about that. As soon as we get home from this tour, we are going to be hashing through songs to decide what will go on that album.

Q: All of your children have something they bring to the table musically. It's got to be nice to work with musicians as a family who know the strengths of each member?

A: We know each other's quirks. We know each other's looks. We know what someone's voice can handle. There's so many little things. If we weren't a family, it would be a lot harder to get a strong, cohesive sound that is consistent.

Q: How do you all manage to get everything done? Does homeschooling your children and not having multiple extracurricular activities for them help?

A: Well, that's the reason we can do what we do. People ask us, 'how do you do it?' Well, we gave up everything else. This is what we do. We don't have soccer, all the other activities. We just play our music and as a family it's a simplified life. I'm glad we've made that choice. It's made us much closer as a family.

Q: Is everyone out on stage all at once during concerts?

A: I think it's too overwhelming to have all nine of us on stage all the time. We really essentially have two bands. The girls are the core of the show, and the boys come out and showcase a couple numbers. ... We definitely create variety by having people coming on and off the stage.

Q: Have you run into other families who also do this?

A: We met a family in Nebraska that has 13 children. We know several families in Missouri with four, five or six kids. We know a family in Wisconsin with 11. There are a lot of families doing this. A lot of them are Gospel bands. There are also some doing bluegrass or folk.

Q: Sure seems to be the trend in country music to feature family bands, right?

A: They are popping up in country music. You have The Band Perry that are three siblings. You have a new group called The Henningsens, which is a dad and two of his children. I think it's cool families can do this.

Q: Between the nationwide tour and the looming album recording, are you guys excited about what appears to be a pivotal year for the family and your musical ambitions?

A: It's exciting. It's a lot of work, so I think sometime we get lost in the work. We are working so hard for our family shows right now and trying transition into my girls and the studio for their country music. There is a lot going on right now.