CULLMAN, Ala. – A homegrown family band is lending its talent to a cause close to country music’s heart. Cipollari, the bluegrass group made up of six Cipollari siblings from Hanceville, will perform “Cipollari Live: A Fundraiser for the Randy Travis Foundation” on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 6-8 p.m. at Terri Pines Country Club in Cullman.
Tickets are free and available at https://tinyurl.com/43596yeh.
A family affair
The band is made up of Savio, Thérèse, Cecilia, Rosalinda, Gianluca and Giovanni Cipollari, children of Fabio and Elizabeth Cipollari. Savio plays mandolin, Thérèse plays fiddle, Cecilia plays guitar, Rosalinda plays fiddle, Gianluca plays banjo and Giovanni plays dobro.
Local audiences may remember the siblings as the Cotton Pickin’ Kids. According to past Tribune coverage, the name was born on the spot at a bluegrass festival band competition in Tennessee, when their father was asked for a band name at registration and answered, “Oh, it’s those Cotton Pickin’ Kids.” The group went on to place second in that contest.
In 2020, the siblings celebrated the release of their first album, “Slemish Mountain,” named for a mountain in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, with a release party at Berkeley Bob’s Coffee House in Cullman. Since then, the band has grown a following online with videos of their performances, and Savio and Thérèse have written original songs for the group, including “Harvest Fair.”
Fans can also support the band and get behind-the-scenes access through its Patreon page.
Supporting the Randy Travis Foundation
The Randy Travis Foundation was established after the country music legend suffered a life-altering stroke in 2013 that left him with aphasia. According to the foundation, its mission focuses on finding a cure for viral cardiomyopathy and providing opportunities for at-risk children to participate in arts and music programs.
“We want to make sure that every child that wants to learn music can learn music,” Travis said in a 2023 interview with the Recording Academy.
For a band of siblings who grew up making music together, the cause is a natural fit.
Event details
- What: Cipollari Live – A Fundraiser for the Randy Travis Foundation
- When: Saturday, Nov. 7, 6-8 p.m.
- Where: Terri Pines Country Club, Cullman
- Free tickets: https://tinyurl.com/43596yeh
- For more on the band, visit www.patreon.com/cipollari
