.
I'm a fan because of quite honestly my best buddy, Marcus Hall. He introduced me to the brother's right before a trip I was taking with my wife.
She & I had not been on an alone trip in quite some time, and Marcus made a mixed bag of Avett's tunes for us to partake in during our journey.
We left the kids with my mom & enjoyed ourselves for 3 days at Smith Mountain Lake in VA. Man was that CD just the perfect mix for our drive & time together.
Excited about returning to the kids & going to see my wife's parents for the 2nd part of this journey...we headed back to Lynchburg, VA to see mom & pick up the kids.
We loved on the kids, threw them in the van & kissed mom goodbye, heading to Delaware.
Little did I know that was going to be the last time I kissed & hugged my mom.
Spending the rest of the week in Delaware (sharing the Avett's with my in-laws) I received a phone call the night before we were to return home from our vacation.
My uncle called & said mom was gone. Asking gone where...Uncle David told me she had died. Floored beyond words can describe, having just kissed her 3 days earlier, my world was turned upside down. At 51 yrs. old, the woman who had spent her life putting her heart & soul into the lives of me, my brother & sisters was gone.
The Avett Brothers touched me before mom died, but their music hit my core in the time after her death.
The excitement, the love, the rawness, the gentleness, the tone of their voice....the Avett Brothers just connected with me at a very important time in my life.
I owe it to my brother from another mother for introducing me to their music, but I thank God for giving those boys the talent they choose to share with the world. I thank God for giving me the Avett Brothers when it was time for Him to take mom.
I love you mom. I can't wait to catch the Avett's show in Heaven one day with you & me on the front row!!!

Keep sharing that love boyz!
A very grateful fan.

Greg Tart