Band members appear, left to right, in “The Family Tree” as follows:
Charles Blackburn, Tom Cole, Jimmy Dickerson, Steve Esthimer, and Spence Foscue
News
Send your e-mail address to whencousinsmarry@gmail.com if you’d like to receive occasional band news bulletins.
Deep South the Bar in Raleigh on Dec. 3
We return to Deep South the Bar in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, Dec. 3, starting around 9:20 p.m. The address is 430 S. Dawson St. On the corner of Dawson and Cabarrus. A great live music venue.
Midnight Golf
Our second CD is now available at iTunes and through CD Baby (which offers secure credit card purchase) for $10, plus shipping. Get a 20% discount when ordering more than one. Song samples also available on CD Baby.1. Got My Eye On You (2:57) C. Blackburn/S. Foscue Hot chick heats up small town.
2. Not My Fault (4:07) T. Cole Theme song for the Age of Responsibility.
3. Chicago Style (4:09) S. Foscue Chi Town blues anthem.
4. Burnin’ Sensation (4:35) S. Esthimer The gift that keeps on giving.
5. Nightbird (5:03) C. Blackburn Bluesy late night lament.
6. Lauralei (3:12) J. Dickerson/McKellar A prairie love song.
7. Face Down In The Bayou (4:17) S. Foscue Not the place to be.
8. I Got Chased By A Mennonite (4:20) S. Esthimer Close call on a back road.
9. True To The Blues (3:51) S. Foscue The Truth revealed at last.
10. Texas Moon (4:19) J. Dickerson A night of desert love and other wonders.
11. There’s A Song In That (3:28) S. Esthimer Free association of lyrical gems.
12. Eat It Over The Sink (4:17) S. Foscue It was the house rule.
13. The Angels’ Share (3:59) S. Esthimer Of love, whisky, and regret.
14. Pottymouth (2:57) T. Cole He can’t take her anywhere.
15. Midnight Golf (4:58) S. Esthimer Barn lot golf at its finest.
16. You Run Your Mouth Too Much (3:15) S. Foscue Enough said.
Charles Blackburn guitar, vocals
Tom Cole trombone, harmonica, keyboards, penny whistle, percussion, vocals
Jimmy Dickerson bass, guitar, vocals
Steve Esthimer guitar, bass, banjo, cornet, alto sax, keyboards, vocals
Spence Foscue drums, percussion, vocals
Featuring
Elizabeth Olson (vocals) on Texas Moon, Laura Dickerson (violin) on Lauralei. Also featuring Shouting Men.
Midnight Golf was produced by When Cousins Marry. Released by Dizzy Possum Records. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by John Plymale at Overdub Lane. Cover illustration by Tom Dunne. Photography and layout by Daniel Sepke
Coastal Conservation Association Banquet in Raleigh
We played an acoustic gig on in May 5 at the annual banquet and benefit auction for the N.C. chapter of the nonprofit Coastal Conservation Association. It’s a worthy group. This is the organization that saved the redfish in the Gulf and has worked for decades for coastal marine conservation and resource management. The event includes live and silent auctions, raffles, and a great dinner. Visit link for details.
CD Release Party in Chapel Hill
The launch party for our second CD, Midnight Golf, featuring 16 original songs, was held April 2 at the Community Church of Chapel Hill.
Return to Pittsboro's General Store Cafe on March 26
We returned to the General Store Cafe on March 26 in downtown Pittsboro, N.C., 39 West Street, near the courthouse traffic circle. Great food and drink.
“Shotgun Wedding” Theme of NPR Report
The intro to the title song of our debut CD provides the theme music for a podcast by Public Radio International’s The World: Science about inbreeding in Charles Darwin’s family. The Darwin segment is about 5 minutes into the program. The World: Science is carried by 270 public radio stations. Check it out here.
We’ve Stopped Crying in Our Beer
The Risky Biscuit Hayseed Hoot has returned to the airwaves of northern Nevada, this time on public radio. The show has been a Saturday morning staple in the Reno area for nearly 20 years. Host Don Darue has played our lively Tex-Mex lament “Quiero Mas Dinero (I Want More Money)” from our Shotgun Wedding CD numerous times over the past few years, most recently for his July 17, 2010, show. He says listeners love it.
Will You Be Our Facebook Fan?
Visit When Cousins Marry and “like”us, please. FB tells us we’ve got fans in Denmark, Japan, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, United Kingdom, Mexico, Nepal, Sweden, and Thailand. Including one lone (lonely?) fan in the Ashmore and Cartier Islands, described by Wikipedia as “small low-lying uninhabited tropical islands in the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia.”
Free Music to Celebrate the Season
For a limited time, download “Quiero Mas Dinero (I Want More Money),” plus the title track to our Shotgun Wedding CD and, for good measure, “Just Like New York City” free at CD Baby. Also get a 20% discount when buying more than one copy of our CD there.
About the Band…
When Cousins Marry has been making music in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina since 1981. We began as a rock and blues cover band, playing for private parties, weddings (no kidding!), political rallies, fund-raisers of various kinds, and assorted Saint Mary’s School events, including a benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina that raised $50,000. Over the years many talented local musicians (second cousins) have made guest appearances and jammed with us.
Then, one day when nobody was looking, we suddenly evolved. The creative juices had been simmering beneath the surface for years, until they finally boiled over in a frothy torrent of original songs that have become the mainstay of our live performances. The first 13 are featured on our debut CD, Shotgun Wedding.
The band consists of Steve Esthimer (guitar, cornet, saxophone, vocals), Spence Foscue (drums, vocals), Tom Cole (trombone, harmonica, keyboards, vocals), and Jimmy Dickerson (bass, vocals, guitar), all of the Chapel Hill area, and Charles Blackburn (guitar, vocals) of Raleigh. See the Band Bios page for more about us. We’re available for parties and events within driving distance of Chapel Hill. Contact us at whencousinsmarry@gmail.com or at 919-610-9518.
About Shotgun Wedding…
Our first CD was released independently by Dizzy Possum Records in December 2007. Each Cousin wrote and sang at least one tune, but all 13 songs were collaborative creations, produced by the band as a whole. It makes for an indescribable wedding of styles, ranging from rock to country, blues, and beyond. This is what happens…when cousins marry.
Shotgun Wedding was recorded, mixed, and mastered by John Plymale at Overdub Lane in Durham, N.C. Through the years, Overdub Lane’s many clients have included the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Southern Culture on the Skids, The dBs, Etta Baker, Tift Merritt, and John Hartford. Shotgun Wedding has a run time of 56 minutes and features the following tunes:
1. Shotgun Wedding (3:44) S. Foscue. Love legalized by parental edict, to a calypso beat.
2. S.O.S. (4:02) S. Esthimer. A New Orleans warning to sundry mindless sources of aggravation.
3. Cruise Control (4:31) T. Cole. The cure for life in the fast lane.
4. Night to Remember (5:10) S. Foscue. Concerning self-inflicted memory lapses.
5. I Don’t Wear Gucci Suits (5:10) S. Esthimer. A song about (alas!) personal habits.
6. Just Like New York City (4:36) J. Dickerson. A psychedelic slice of urban impressionism.
7. One More Night (4:34) C. Blackburn. Bluesy love call, with shameless begging.
8. Friendly Fire (3:56) S. Foscue. Lost innocence in N.C. tobacco fields and Vietnam.
9. Another Level (3:43) T. Cole. The aftermath of a rash attempt at intimacy.
10. Rock ’n’ Rye (4:28) S. Esthimer. Celebration of a time-tested childhood remedy.
11. Bad Side Of Your Love (4:07) S. Foscue. A soulful tribute to gut-wrenching paranoia.
12. Swing That Possum (3:23) S. Esthimer. A daring backyard wildlife rescue.
13. Quiero Mas Dinero (I Want More Money) (4:36) T. Cole. A lively Tex-Mex lament.
Recent Gigs in Pittsboro and at Saint Mary’s School
We had a triumphant return to the The City Tap in downtown Pittsboro, N.C., on Friday, October 1, 2010. Good weather and a good crowd on the patio. Great to see old friends and make some new ones! We also had a fine evening on the campus of Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh for an outdoor Parents’ Weekend dinner in October. We’ve been playing at the school a couple of times a year since 1981. Thanks for having us!
Carrboro Gig May 22
We played for a Homeowners Association street party in Carrboro on Saturday, May 22, 2010. And we’re available for other private parties as well. Contact us at whencousinsmarry@gmail.com or 919-610-9518 for booking details.
Coastal Conservation Association Banquet in Raleigh on May 6
WCM played an acoustic gig Thursday, May 6, 2010, at the annual banquet and benefit auction for the N.C. chapter of the nonprofit Coastal Conservation Association. This was the second year we provided the entertainment. This is the organization that saved the redfish in the Gulf and has worked for decades for coastal marine conservation and resource management. Includes live and silent auctions, raffles, and a great dinner.
We Rocked the General Store Cafe in Pittsboro on April 17
The Cousins took the stage once again at the General Store Cafe in downtown Pittsboro on Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 8:00-10:30 p.m. This is an outstanding venue with great food, plus live music every Thursday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 8:00–10:30 p.m. The cafe is located at 39 West Street, near the courthouse traffic circle.
Spring Fling in April at Saint Mary's
We appeared for the 29th year at the annual Spring Fling at Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh. It was a beautiful day, more like summer than spring. We always enjoy it. Thanks for having us all these years!
Comboland Adds Us To Its Playlist
When Cousins Marry has been added to the playlist at Comboland Radio. Comboland features music old and new from North Carolina bands and is the pet online project of former Hendersonian (Hendersonite?) and radio veteran Mike
“Moose” Smith, who now lives in Kill Devil Hills. His day job is manager of a group of radio stations on the Outer Banks. Check it out.
Request Our Songs on North Carolina Radio Stations
Help us whip the listening public into a frenzy. Request your favorite Cousins’ tunes on the radio stations listed below. Some have local music shows, others feature blues or rock. Some are eclectic. Shotgun Wedding has something for everyone.
The Blue Echo Asheville * WASU Boone * WXYC Chapel Hill * WWCU Cullowhee * WSGE Dallas * WNCU Durham * WXDU Durham * WRVS Elizabeth City * WSOE Elon * WFSS Fayetteville * WNAA Greensboro * WQFS Greensboro * WUAG Greensboro * WZMB Greenville * WBBB Raleigh * WDCG Raleigh * WKNC Raleigh * WSHA Raleigh * WDCC Sanford * WNCW Spindale * The Sound New Bern * WHQR Wilmington * WAKE Winston Salem
Like, Man, We’ve Been Geocached!
And it didn’t hurt a bit. A fan writes: “We located a geocache in New Hampshire called Pine Hill CD drop. Willie, Lisa, and I crawled along a ledge and up a very steep (icy and snowy) hill which overlooked the Presidential Range. We located the camo cache and slipped in Shotgun Wedding. We took some ‘parental advisory’ thing by Cypress Hill? I hope it’s interesting. So The Cousins were launched in Littleton, NH, and also last May in Hopkinville, MA. Hope to drop one off in St. John soon. Geocaching.com is the link for people to share GPS coordinates in order to treasure hunt.”
Smoke on the Water Festival
The Cousins headlined the 12th annual Smoke on the Water Festival on the beautiful Washington, N.C., waterfront October 24, 2009. This family festival features barbecue and chili cook-offs, a juried fine arts show, children’s activities, artisans’ market, and more. An interview with Cousin Charles Blackburn to promote the band’s appearance was published in the Washington Daily News, where he landed his first newspaper job in 1975. Our thanks to the Daily News and the Washington/Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring our performance.
City Tap Gig in Pittsboro
We had a triumphant return engagement on the patio at The City Tap on Friday, October 16, 2009. It was a little chilly, but we had the crowd rocking with some hot tunes. In addition to great sandwiches, beer, and wine, The City Tap now has (wonder of wonders) mixed drinks. Plus live music every weekend on the patio (weather permitting).
Last Friday Series in Hillsborough
The Cousins were the featured band July 31 for the Last Friday Series at the Orange County Historical Museum, 201 N. Churton St. in downtown Hillsborough. We did a couple of acoustic sets full of originals and old favorites.
We Take to the Airwaves
Our song “Shotgun Wedding” was heard recently on the airwaves courtesy of Shaw University radio station WSHA in Raleigh.
And, in between tunes from our CD, Cousin Charles Blackburn was interviewed about the band June 18 by D. G. Martin and Vicky Jarrett on WCHL 1360-AM in Chapel Hill. The hour-long show can be downloaded as a podcast.
The Cousins at Fountain General Store
We had a big time May 15, 2009, at the R. A. Fountain General Store in downtown Fountain, between Wilson and Greenville. Cousin Tempie Hayes of Wilson added some class to the act, sitting in to sing “I Fall To Pieces, “Give Me One Reason,” and a funkified version of “Angel From Montgomery.” It was also a treat to have North Carolina blues legend Lightnin’ Wells join us to sing “Messin’ With The Kid” by Junior Wells (no apparent relation). This is a great music venue. They carry CDs by visiting bands, as well N.C. books and other items, all available through their online store. Check it out. Our thanks to hosts/owners Alex and Elizabeth Albright. And to those who traveled from Kinston, Wilson, and elsewhere to be there.Coastal Conservation Association Banquet in Raleigh
We played an acoustic gig on May 7, 2009, at the annual banquet and benefit auction for the N.C. chapter of the nonprofit Coastal Conservation Association. It’s a worthy group. This is the organization that saved the redfish in the Gulf and has worked for decades for coastal marine conservation and resource management. The event included live and silent auctions, raffles, and a great dinner.
Cousin Steve Esthimer Takes The Prize
Our own Cousin Steve was the Grand Prize winner in the Music Loft’s Valentine’s Day essay contest on “When Did You First Fall in Love with Music?” You can read his winning entry here.
New Music in the Works
The creative juices are flowing, the Muses are musing, and The Cousins are hard at work on some new original songs: “Eat It Over The Sink,” “Face Down In The Bayou,” “There’s A Song In That,” “Texas Moon,” and “Laurelei.” Listen for them at our upcoming gigs. When perfected (as only WCM can perfect them), we hope to preserve them for generations to come on our next CD. Stay tuned!
The Cousins Boogied at Papa Mojo’s in February
We had a rocking good time at Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse on Saturday, February 7, 2009. Our set list was heavy on R&B, with some originals thrown in. Papa Mojo’s was celebrating its first anniversary of great food and music. As many people have discovered, the authentic Cajun dishes are worth the trip. Plus live music every Friday and Saturday 9:30 p.m to 12:30 a.m. Owner Mel Melton is an award-winning chef and blues master. They also cater events. Papa Mojo’s is on Highway 55 in Research Triangle Park about two miles south of I-40. It’s in the corner of Greenwood Commons shopping center at the intersection of NC55 and Sedwick Road.
We Rocked the General Store Cafe in Pittsboro in January
The Cousins took the stage at the General Store Cafe in downtown Pittsboro on Saturday, January 24, 2009. It’s always fun when dancing breaks out. Cousin Tom Cole showered the dance floor with play money during “Quiero Mas Dinero.” Always a crowd pleaser. Outstanding food, plus live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 8:30–11 p.m. The cafe is located at 39 West Street, near the courthouse traffic circle.
Cousins in the News
The Carolina Alumni Review has a feature on The Cousins in the November/December 2008 issue. Four of us (Steve, Tom, Jimmy, and Charles) are UNC alumni. And Spence does double-duty as the drummer for Equinox, the band with UNC’s new chancellor, Holden Thorp, on keyboards. In other news, a short story from Cousin Charles’s newspaper days, titled “The Outlaw,” appeared in a recent issue of Charlotte Viewpoint, an online magazine.
Our British Cousins Discover Us
Some serious channeling has been going on here. Leicestershire, England, bass player Bob Lodge writes: “Hi guys. Guess what? I play in a band called When Cousins Marry, and from what I’ve heard on your Website, we seem to be playing the same kind of music. We play for parties, christenings, and in a few acoustic clubs in the area. We play Ry Cooder, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, the Stones, and blues standards. The chances of us playing in the U.S. are slim, and the same for you over here, so I don’t think we are liable to clash.” But, then again, maybe one day we’ll join forces for The Cousins’ Extended Family World Tour...
The Cousins Performed at The Regulator in Durham
We played a few acoustic versions of tunes from our Shotgun Wedding CD at The Regulator Bookshop in Durham on August 8, 2008, as part of a program celebrating the anthology Making Notes: Music of the Carolinas. The book includes an article by Cousin Charles Blackburn on jazz and pop legend Nina Simone. The readers were Grant Britt, who wrote about Southern Culture on the Skids (SCOTS) for the book, and David Childers, whose essay explores the redemptive power of music. Editor Ann Wicker also talked about it. Vital Trivia: Many years ago, Cousin Charles and SCOTS front man Rick Miller were neighbors in Henderson, N.C.
Live on D.G. Martin’s Show on WCHL in Chapel Hill
The Cousins brought live music back to talk radio July 10, 2008, on WCHL 1360-AM for “Who’s Talking with D.G. Martin.” In between playing some tunes, we told D.G. and his audience all about the band, our new CD, and marriage customs in the U.S. of A. Did you know it’s perfectly legal to marry your first cousin in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states Up Nawth? Of course, legality and inclination are two different things. The hour-long show can be downloaded as a podcast.
Saint Mary’s School Magazine Features The Cousins
The band was featured in the Spring 2008 issue of the Saint Mary’s School alumnae magazine. The article was mostly a faculty profile on Steve Esthimer, which is only fitting, since he has taught there for 30 years. Since 1981, The Cousins have played at the Raleigh school a couple of times a year for various events. It’s our longest-running venue. But the article failed to mention that the back cover of our Shotgun Wedding CD features a photo of Dr. E in all his rock ’n’ roll glory. Can posters and T-shirts be far behind?
The Cousins Headlined All-Star Durham Musical Revue
We headlined a seven-band extravaganza May 24, 2008, at the Broad Street Café in Durham. Our set list featured tunes from Shotgun Wedding. Other bands included: Blue Tailed Skinks, Down River, Mark Cool, Brian and Mary Lewis, and Art and Nancy Champagne. This is a great venue for bands. One of the better stages and sound systems in the area. Plus good food and drink.
WCM at The Cave
The Cousins played that venerable Chapel Hill establishment The Cave on May 3, 2008. Our set included all 13 original songs on Shotgun Wedding, plus such inimitable Cousins’classics as: I Got Chased By A Mennonite, True To The Blues, Vanished, The Only Place You’ll Find Sympathy (Is In The Dictionary), and Got My Eye On You. A highlight of the show was the premiere of Charles Blackburn’s song (?) Chicken Finger, a discordant rant born out of the dark maw of chaos. Where else to debut it but The Cave?
We Gave ’Em an Earfull at Peep Fest
Beware the Ides of Peeps! The Cousins were the featured performers March 15, 2008, for Peep Fest 2008, sponsored by Market Street Books in Southern Village south of Chapel Hill. The annual celebration of the seasonal marshmallow treats included poetry about Peeps, Peeps food, Peeps songs, and more.
‘Shotgun Wedding’ CD Release Party Held in Chapel Hill
Thanks to everyone who turned out for our Shotgun Wedding CD release party on March 1, 2008, at the Community Church of Chapel Hill. Memorable highlights included the crowd’s enthusiastic response when Cousin Tom Cole showered the dance floor with handfuls of play money during his signature tune, “Quiero Mas Dinero.” Thanks to all those who bought our CD! Ten percent of sales at the party benefited community radio station WCOM-103.5 FM in Carrboro. For those who couldn’t make it, we missed you. But you can catch us at one of our upcoming gigs. And visit our Music Samples & Store page to find out how to buy the CD.
Live on Melva Okun’s Show on WCOM
Melva Okun has blogged about our dysfunctional family, complete with photos! But our lawyers say we can’t sue, on account of she improved our image. The Cousins performed February 10, 2008, on Melva’s Sunday night musical show on Carrboro community radio station WCOM. We talked about our new CD, Shotgun Wedding, and played acoustic versions of a few tracks. Plus Melva spun several tunes from it. Check out her blog at Melva’s Musings on Jazz.
WCM at St. Andrews College
When Cousins Marry played an acoustic set as part of the annual Sam Ragan Fine Arts Award ceremonies on January 24, 2008, at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg. Mercifully brief recitations of poetry and prose by Cousin Charles Blackburn were intermingled with tunes from the band’s debut CD, Shotgun Wedding, as part of the Fortner Writers’ Forum. A recording of the program is available online. Charles received the 2008 Ragan Award for Literature from the college. Musician Barbara Geer and sculptor Thomas Sayre were also honored.
When Cousins Marry Releases ‘Shotgun Wedding’ CD
CHAPEL HILL, NC (December 2007)–Perennial local party band When Cousins Marry has released their debut CD, Shotgun Wedding, featuring 13 original songs that range from rock to country, blues, and beyond.
It can be purchased through the band’s Website as well as at the followoing local independent bookstores: Market Street Books in Chapel Hill, The Regulator Bookshop in Durham and Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh. Free music samples, band bios, lyrics, and more are available at whencousinsmarry.com.
WCM consists of Steve Esthimer (guitar, cornet, saxophone, vocals), Spence Foscue (drums, vocals), Tom Cole (trombone, harmonica, keyboards, vocals) and Jimmy Dickerson (bass, vocals, guitar), all of the Chapel Hill area, and Charles Blackburn (guitar, vocals) of Raleigh.
When Cousins Marry began around 1981 as a rock and blues cover band, playing for parties, weddings (no kidding!), political rallies and assorted Saint Mary’s School events. Over the years, many talented local musicians (second cousins) have made guest appearances and jammed with the band.
And all the while the creative juices were simmering, until they finally boiled over in a frothy torrent of original songs that have become a mainstay of the band’s live performances. The first 13 are featured on Shotgun Wedding, which was recorded, mixed, and mastered by John Plymale at Overdub Lane in Durham.
Each Cousin wrote and sang at least one tune for the CD, but all 13 songs were collaborative creations, produced by the band as a whole. It makes for an indescribable wedding of styles. This is what happens…when cousins marry.
The title track, Shotgun Wedding (3:44), tells the classic story—to a crazy calypso beat—of love legalized under duress by parental edict. S.O.S. (4:02) is a New Orleans warning to sundry mindless sources of aggravation, issued by our long-suffering hero from his new home “around the bend.” (It was always in walking distance…)
And if your sorry excuse for a life is on the verge of hurtling full-speed off the freeway, put it on Cruise Control (4:31) and fuggidaboutit. In the confessional Night to Remember (5:10), our protagonist grapples with self-inflicted memory lapses of the alcoholic kind and deeply regrets his many offenses. Not that he recalls any.
The hauntingly beautiful I Don’t Wear Gucci Suits (5:10) will delight those who actually listen to the lyrics. Yes, it’s a song about underwear. More particularly, whether it’s clean enough to employ. (A new twist to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?)
Just Like New York City (4:36) is a rocking, psychedelic ’60s slice of urban impressionism that probably won’t go over too big with the Big Apple Chamber of Commerce. But everybody else will dig it. One More Night (4:34) is your typical bluesy boy-meets-girl-meets-backseat tale. That is, until primitive bass and drums turn it into a down-on-my-knees, begging-you-please love call.
Return with us to the freaky days of yesteryear with Friendly Fire (3:56), a powerful story of lost youth and innocence in the tobacco fields of N.C. and on the battlefields of Vietnam. Another Level (3:43) is about how relationships can wither and die out of boredom, neglect or, as in this case, a rash attempt at intimacy.
Rock ’n’ Rye (4:28) celebrates the salubrious effects of that time-tested childhood remedy for whatever ails you: a little rock candy mixed with rye whiskey. Bad Side Of Your Love (4:07) is a soulful tribute to the gut-wrenching paranoia that seizes all of us when we’re in the merciless grip of a “meaningful” relationship.
Swing That Possum (3:23) is the saga of a backyard wildlife rescue that’s sure to energize aerobics classes from Newark to Nome. (No animals were harmed in the making of this song.) And, best of all, Quiero Mas Dinero—I Want More Money (4:36) is a lively Tex-Mex lament about the inherent inequities of supply-side economics. Available for campaign use by big-spending politicians—for a nominal fee.
Cousins FUQ (Frequently Unasked Questions)
Who came up with the band’s name?
Our drummer, Spence Foscue. It’s a long story. Wait for the Hollywood version. Suffice it to say that the band is an object lesson in the perils of consanguinity.
Are any of the band members actually related?
In spirit only. As far as we know…
How long has the band been together?
Since 1981. WCM grew out of jam sessions in Steve Esthimer’s basement when he and Nora lived on Huron Street in Durham, N.C., and, later, in their garage when they moved to Hope Valley Road. Many of our original tunes got their start in Esthimer’s converted horse barn in what was once the country out in the wilds of Chatham County. Spence, Steve, and Charles are founding members. Tom came on board nearly twenty years ago. And Jimmy is a relative newcomer (or newly discovered relative?). Been with us since 2005.
Did you have any trouble getting a Web domain name?
Funny you should ask. When we first applied for whencousinsmarry.com in 2006, it was taken—by a marriage brokerage in Baghdad. We kid you not. But when we tried again a year later, it was available. Guess they went out of business...
If you’re a North Carolina band, what’s with the Welcome to South Carolina sign on the CD cover?
It’s a reference to lyrics in the title song, Shotgun Wedding. At one time, North Carolina required happy couples to get a blood test before they tied the knot, but South Carolina didn’t. So those in a hurry to get hitched slipped across the border to such towns as Dillon, where no-frills weddings were once a local industry.
Have the Cousins ever been on tour?
We’re currently on our Eve of Destruction World Tour, which began July 6, 1991 in Chapel Hill. So far, we haven’t made it out of North Carolina.