Most people have a special connection with their hometown.
With that connection comes plenty of memories, good and bad, that helped them grow into who they are today. Even for people who live in places far from home, they always yearn to come back for the nostalgic times they had. Decades ago, John Denver made a song about West Virginia.
The band found inspiration to write the song when Bill Danoff and his wife Taffy Nivert were driving along with the countryside beauty of Clopper Road.
They were not even locals of that state but they made a song about it because of how they appreciated the place’s “almost heaven” aesthetics.
Eventually, the song made it to the hearts of the West Virginians, and it’s now one of their state’s iconic symbols and anthems.
In relation to this, let’s take a look at how this musically-inclined family revisited their fondest moments as if they were living back home at the hills of West Virginia.
Before we get to the music, these are the few things you should know about The Petersens.
The Petersens are a bluegrass family band who currently live in Branson, Missouri—needless to say, they’re no strangers to fresh air and mountainous views of the Ozarks. They try to make a living by sharing their talent in music, singing various American roots music at their home. For over 10 years, they catered their music full-time to the people who traveled to Branson.
They decided to take a step up by going online just as most musicians do.
In the Petersen’s recent YouTube upload, they shared about how their family lived in West Virginia for a while and thought it would be nice to share their rendition of the classic.
“Our dad grew up in West Virginia and some of our fondest childhood memories take place in those hills,” the family wrote on the video description. They also mentioned that John Denver was a “family favorite.”
Watch as the family recreated the song in the most satisfying way!
Katie Petersen, the eldest among the siblings, was the one who started singing of the song.
She also plays the fiddle. Beside her are her siblings Julianne Petersen and Matthew Petersen, the only boy of the family. After Katie skimmed through the first verse, you could hear the vibrant sound of the instruments as they roared out in unison during the chorus.
Julianne and Matthew helped Katie with the vocals to create an angelic three-way harmony.
Emmet Franz, the newest member of the family band played his rare dobro instrument, which could only be seen in a few traditional countries and bluegrass bands.
Behind them are Ellen Petersen, the banjo player of the band who also auditioned on American Idol, and their mother Karen Petersen, who grooves with her bass.
The family won’t fail to amaze you as they perform the song with a heavenly feel.
You can definitely appreciate their shared passion for music as they perform the song together!
Whether you’re from West Virginia or not, it’s impossible not to be hooked by their rendition. If you liked this, definitely check out their other videos as well—some of which have garnered almost 8 million views.
If you love listening to their music video and are looking for more, be sure to support the band on YouTube and Patreon.
Congratulations to the Petersens on all their success! Be sure to watch the entire performance by clicking the link below:
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