Over the last decade, The Avett Brothers have gained attention for their seamless harmonies, heart-wrenching lyrics and frenetic banjo-driven live shows. From humble beginnings busking on street corners in downtown Greenville to sharing the stage with folk legend Bob Dylan at the Grammy Awards, brothers Scott and Seth Avett and bassist Bob Crawford have certainly come a long way on their journey to the top.
Despite the bright lights of success, The Avett Brothers have remained dedicated to giving back to their community. Their most recent charitable venture involved partnering with Cheerwine for the “Legendary Giveback Concert” last month at nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Charlottesville, Va. The concert benefited Operation Homefront, Big Brothers Big Sisters and University of Virginia Children’s Hospital. Additionally, fans who pledged to volunteer in their communities received access to an online live stream of the concert.
The evening in Charlottesville was met with much excitement from fans across the Southeast. Concertgoers began lining up for the sold-out general-admission show as early as 8 a.m. for an 8 p.m. show.
When The Avett Brothers finally took the stage, the packed amphitheater erupted. The Avetts and Crawford were 
joined on stage by touring band members, cellist Joe Kwon, drummer Jacob Edwards and Paul Defiglia on the keys. They opened with a high-energy version of “Slight Figure of Speech,” and it was clear that these Concord boys came to blow the roof off of the venue.
They delighted the audience with a handful of old favorites, like “Salvation Song,” “Old Joe Clark” and “Gimmeakiss,” as well as new songs from their most recent album, “The Carpenter,” like “Live and Die,” “I Never Knew You” and a crowd-hushing, stripped-down version of “Through My Prayers.”
The entire set was elevated by playful brotherly antics, Seth’s face-melting electric guitar solos and Scott’s kick-drum acrobatics and stage sprints. The evening closed with an old-timey cover of “Alabama Gals,” but could be summed up best by the lyrics of “Salvation Song”: “And they may pay us off in fame but that is not why we came and if it compromises truth then we will go.”
The group’s air of goodwill has become the norm among their most loyal fans, who have organized fundraisers as far west as Portland, Ore. The Avett Brothers have proven themselves to not only be extremely talented musicians, but also a band of brothers working toward the greater good.
Evolution of a Fan 