Correction appended.
Two-time American Music Award winners Brothers Osborne will step their boots onto Athens dirt this weekend.
“They are very talented musicians, writers and performers,” Andrew Holzaepfel, the senior associate director of student activities, said. “They have success on the radio, but they’re also a very different kind of artist. … They’re not pop country by any means.”
Brothers Osborne will light up the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on Friday night. There are limited tickets remaining with prices ranging from $35 for the first 10 rows and $25 for the remainder. The duo will be joined by special guest Christian Lopez, who will open the show with a solo acoustic at 8 p.m.
Earlier this week, the real-life brothers TJ and John Osborne received a Country Music Award nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year and an Academy of Country Music nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year. Holzaepfel said he jumped at the chance to book the rising country stars.
“It seemed like a great time for us to get them before they were too big for us to have them,” Holzaepfel said, predicting a bright future for the brothers.
Anna Perry, who is studying social work, said she was glad she could see Brothers Osborne while ticket prices were still reasonable and the venues the band was playing weren’t too overwhelming.
“They’re starting to become a bigger thing, so I thought it’d be fun to see them while they’re starting out,” Perry said.
MemAud is a 2,000-seat venue that is a key part of the music scene in the area. Holzaepfel said he tries to entice a broader audience than just students, and country music is a good way to do so, adding that it’s not uncommon for residents of Marietta and Parkersburg, West Virginia, to make the trip for a particularly enticing act.
“Country music has always done well for us here at Ohio University, both in the community and from our student ticket buyers,” Holzaepfel said.
He emphasized the expansion of country music listeners in recent years as a contributing factor.
“I think we’ll have an awesome crowd on Friday night,” Holzaepfel said, “It’ll be a great show.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled Andrew Holzaepfel's name. The story has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
