Nashville’s Kopecky Family Band may not share the same bloodlines, but they are most definitely a family in every other sense of the word. What began as a twosome with a mutual appreciation of music back in the Fall of 2007 soon grew to a sextet who’ve been creating music together ever since.

Currently touring North America (they play Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom alongside Gomez on September 26th), the Kopeckys are a band worth checking out.

SDTC: When, where and how did the Kopecky Family Band come to be?
It all began quite casually, really. I don’t think that anyone truly knew what this band was going to become when we all first joined. The “snowball” was formed when Gabe and Kelsey first met in the fall of 2007. Soon after, both recognized a mutual appreciation for music, and began writing songs together. The snowball grew. Not even a month later, Markus and I (Steven) started playing along, and were soon followed by David and Corey. The whole thing came together in a beautiful and organic way. We all met while attending college at Belmont University, but I wouldn’t say that the school is what brought us together. All of us have a common bond: we each love to create music, and we care deeply about the music that we make.

As far as the name goes, “Kopecky Family Band”, this is my stance: We love like a family and we fight like a family. And we sing and dance and laugh and cry like a family. We aren’t related by flesh and blood, but sometimes exceptions must be made, because we are family in every other sense.

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?
Booming. Grandiose. At times, chaotic. Thoughtful. Melodic. Intentional.

Nashville obviously has a great country music scene, but what about other genres?
Nashville is (and will always be) known for country music. With that said, Nashville is also home to one of the most diverse and healthy music scenes that I have ever been a part of. There is a very communal network of artists and musicians that is really thriving, and it is usually just barely under the radar. Luckily, the tides have been turning in the last couple of years, and there has been a growing awareness and enthusiasm for Nashville’s independent music scene. But what makes it all so important to me is that it seems to always boil down to community – bands helping other bands out, going to each other’s shows, etc.

Who are your greatest influences, music or otherwise?
One of the things I love about being in this band is the that each member has distinctly different influences, across the board. Musically, our collective influences include Fleetwood Mac, Menomena, Sigur Ros, Pedro the Lion, Janis Joplin, Modest Mouse, Al Green, LCD Soundsystem, and everything in between. Like I said, distinctly different. Most of all, though, we are all influenced in a very big way by fellow musicians, whether they are old friends from Nashville or new friends that we meet on the road. I think we find a lot of inspiration in peers that are doing what we are doing: traveling, playing, exploring, and creating, and sometimes not knowing how you’re going to pay bills at the end of the month. It is a beautiful thing, and when shared, it becomes a powerful thing too.

If we were planning a two-day visit to Nashville, what are some places we would HAVE to check out?
Eat breakfast/brunch/lunch at Pancake Pantry in Hillsboro Village. Walk across the street and play a round of darts at The Villager, then head right around the corner to see what is playing at The Belcourt, Nashville’s very own independent cinema. Get coffee at Bongo Java. Mosey around Centennial Park and check out the Parthenon. Drive out to Belle Meade to visit Cheekwood, an incredible botanical garden (with a sculpture trail!). And before you leave, be sure to drive down to Broadway at least once to survey Nashville’s honky tonk offerings. It is a must.

Are there any crazy tour stories you can share?
We’ve had our fair share of craziness. I’m not sure how much of it you – or the rest of the band – would really want me to share.

What are some cities you’d love to play that you haven’t yet?
Anywhere in Europe or Australia. We really love to travel and having the opportunity to explore the cities that we play in. So, really, any city that we have yet to visit would be high on the list.

Check out the band’s website for music, photos, tour dates and more. 

~ Caitlyn Holroyd