Swanee Theatre Presents: The Hatley Family

The Hatley Family of Stanfield represents five generations of music. The bluegrass/gospel group consists of a father, his four children, and one daughter-in-law.

Patriarch, 86-year-old Ervin Hatley, has been playing the fiddle for over half a century and continues to perform when able. His three sons, Gary, Ronnie, and Donnie, play guitar, banjo, and mandolin/fiddle respectively, while daughter,

Teresa, joins in on bass and Gary's wife, Sandy (from Seagrove), adds dobro on some numbers.

Growing up singing a cappella in church, the group is known for their tight four-part harmony. The group specializes in bluegrass gospel, but also offers toe tapping instrumentals and familiar bluegrass standards.

The family began playing when the two oldest boys were teenagers. Competing in area fiddlers' conventions and band contests, they were frequent winners. As their popularity spread and the younger siblings joined in, they started

performing for festivals, concert halls, and churches. They have appeared across the southeast from West Virginia to Mississippi.

Brother, Ronnie, owns Ron's Pickin' Parlor, where he and sister, Teresa, teach instrumental and vocal lessons full-time. The business also offers the finest selection of professional bluegrass instruments in the region, with stocking

dealerships for brands including Collings, Martin, Sullivan, Deering, Blueridge, Shen, Eastman, and Beard.

This year, the Hatleys celebrate 42 years performing together as a family band. They have recorded four CDs, two bluegrass gospel, one a cappella gospel and one Bluegrass Christmas project.