LaRoi Carter Jr (Butch) : Guitar and Vocals
Keith Carter : Alto, Tenor, Soprano Saxes and vocals
Kevan Carter: Bass guitar and Vocals
Influences
LaRoi was heavly influenced by George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Carlos Santana and Nile Rogers, just to name a few.
Kevan's influences are Stanley Clake, Larry Graham and Verdine White. As far as vocals go, Mike McDonald is huge as well as Al Jarreau and Luther.
Keith's influences are David sanborn, Gerald Albright and Lenny Picket.
The Carter Brothers... LaRoi (Butch)/Guitar, Keith/Saxophones and Kevan/Bass and lead vocals, have been playing music for most of their lives. It all started when their dad (LaRoi Carter Sr.) brought home that first electric guitar in Germany. The whole family was stationed in Kieserslauton Germany for three years, where Pops Carter was a radar technician in the USAF by day and pro musician/entertainer by night. Pops Carter could play almost any musical instrument but excelled at jazz trumpet, guitar and vocals. When most kids were outside playing, as soon as they got home from school, the Carter boys were huddled around pops with his big guitar and they had their smaller student model guitars, taking some serious lessons. After an hour and a half lesson, then it was OK to go out and play. In grade school, concert band was mandatory for the brothers as per their dad. Butch played drums, Kevan played the trumpet and Keith played the alto saxophone, which is to this day is his instrument of choice.
Concert band became so boring the brothers began forming R&B bands
through out junior high and high school. It was all about the funk. Artists like Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Tower of Power, Average White Band, The Ohio Players and EW&F began to captivate and motivate the brothers to want to be touring musicians. "I ate, drank and slept music and performing on stage" Said Kevan Carter bassist for the group. "Two of my biggest influences were Verdine White and Larry Graham because of their unique sound and strong presence on stage." After high school each of the brothers went in different directions. LaRoi formed his own group (Diamond, top forty and funk) and toured the West coast and Canada, Keith joined the USAF and toured various stages all over the globe while winning many USAF sponsored talent contest as a stand out soloist. Kevan and Butch later joined forces when Kevan signed on as front man for LaRoi's band, Diamond. "We had a unique sound because at times we had two bass players on stage at once and we had a ton of fun too." Recalls Butch. These days the brothers are focused more on the truly creative side of things and playing the music they heard during they're formative years. Jazz is what blasted out of their dad's high-end stereo system and it must've sank in because they do it well. A new album is in the works and due to be released around the 1st of the year 2009. "We want to do some syncopated, sophisticated, jazzy stuff with a hint of Latin rhythms and some EW&F style arrangements. Look for it" Said Keith Carter, the mellower of the three brothers and fraternal twin of Kevan. The Carter Brothers have been playing since they were kids and look at music as a gift with a built in retirement plan. They will keep playing until the fat lady sings. Knowing them, they will probably ask her to sit in.
I am honored to be your first comment. Welcome to MySpace!! The Carter Brothers are now in the house. Let me know if you want a guest soloist on your CD-. Take Care and keep up the good sounds- Michael Powers
