Montana Folk Festival Artist Spotlight: Cyril Neville

The Montana Folk Festival is always a great opportunity to experience new music. Bands you haven’t heard before, cultures you are unfamiliar with, it is an incredible learning experience. We have talked ad nauseum about everything available during the Festival. From road closures to volunteering opportunities, what you should bring, and of course what you should leave at home. We also looked at every performer booked for the weekend.

Let's take a closer look at a legend performing this weekend for the Montana Folk Festival, Cyril Neville.

Cyril Garrett Neville is a renowned American percussionist and vocalist who burst onto the music scene as a member of The Meters, a funky New Orleans-based band led by his brother Art Neville.

When The Meters called it quits, he and his brother Art joined his other brothers Charles and Cyril to form The Neville Brothers.

The Neville Brothers’ debut album was released on Capital Records in 1978. The impact of that first album was felt immediately in the world of R&B and Soul music, but the Neville Brothers had so much more in front of them.

In 1987 they release their third studio album Uptown, on EMI Records. The album was full of heavy-hitter guest performers like Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, and Branford Marsalis. In 1989 they followed up the success of Uptown, with their next studio album Yellow Moon. Yellow Moon received critical acclaim and garnered the brothers a Grammy win for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Away from his brothers, Cyril has made an incredible eleven studio albums. He has also appeared on recordings but artists like Bob Dylan, Edi Brickell, Willie Nelson, Dr. John, Robbie Robertson and a slew of others. Cyril might be the youngest Neville Brother, but he might have the greatest reach.

Learn more about the Montana Fold Festival HERE.

I look forward to seeing you uptown.

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