The Bacon Brothers

Lore & Background

The Bacon Brothers began as a working band in 1994. Their debut album Forosoco (1997) coined their genre as a mix of folk, rock, soul, and country. Over the years, they have released seven studio albums, including 36¢ (2014) and their self-titled album The Bacon Brothers (2018), which featured the track 'Tom Petty T-Shirt'.

The brothers have appeared on various television programs, including an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in January 2006, where Michael Bacon was the makeover recipient. In February 2009, they were special guests on Live from Daryl's House. Their music has been featured on soundtracks such as The Woodsman (2004) and Red Betsy (2003). Michael Bacon composed soundtracks for television, including the PBS mini series The Jewish Americans and The Kennedys, for which he won an Emmy for The Kennedys.

In 2009, the band toured the US East Coast promoting their album New Years Day, headlining the WXPN Xpotential Music Festival in Camden, New Jersey. Their 2018 self-titled album was produced by former Saturday Night Live musical director G.E. Smith. The album included tracks featuring background vocals from Kevin's wife Kyra Sedgwick and their daughter Sosie Bacon, who also appeared in the music video for 'Broken Glass'.

Reader's Guide

The Bacon Brothers represent a unique intersection of Hollywood celebrity and musical craftsmanship, with Kevin Bacon's acting fame drawing attention to a duo that has maintained a steady recording and touring career since the mid-1990s. Their genre-blending style—folk, rock, soul, and country—has allowed them to appeal to diverse audiences, and their appearances on television and film soundtracks have extended their reach beyond traditional music venues. The duo's longevity, with seven studio albums and tours across North America and Europe, demonstrates a sustained creative partnership. Their work on children's CDs by Sandra Boynton and contributions to PBS documentaries highlight their versatility. The band's significance lies in its ability to operate as a serious musical act independent of Kevin Bacon's acting career, while also leveraging that fame for broader exposure. Their 2018 album, produced by G.E. Smith, and the chart performance of 'Tom Petty T-Shirt' underscore their continued relevance in the 2010s.

Did You Know?

• The Bacon Brothers' first studio album Forosoco (1997) derived its name from a blend of folk, rock, soul, and country.
• Michael Bacon won an Emmy for composing the soundtrack for the PBS mini series The Kennedys.
• The song 'Tom Petty T-Shirt' from their 2018 self-titled album gained attention on streaming platforms.
• Kevin Bacon's wife Kyra Sedgwick and daughter Sosie Bacon provided background vocals on the album The Bacon Brothers.

Formation & the Birth of a Band

Though Michael and Kevin Bacon have been making music together since childhood, their formal working partnership didn't crystallize until 1994. A childhood friend, having heard the brothers' playing, suggested they perform a one-night-only show at the Theatre of Living Arts in their hometown of Philadelphia under the name The Bacon Brothers. That single gig became the seed of a long-running act. By 1997, the duo had released their debut studio album, Forosoco, a title they coined to describe their own genre blend of folk, rock, soul, and country. From that starting point, the band expanded into a full ensemble, adding bassist Paul Guzzone, keyboardist Joe Mennonna, drummer Frank Vilardi, and guitarist Ira Siegel. Over the following decades, they would go on to record seven studio albums, tour extensively across North America and Europe, and make numerous appearances on radio, television, and web programs, steadily building a dedicated audience far beyond their Philadelphia roots.

Film, Television & Crossover Appearances

The Bacon Brothers have maintained a persistent presence in both film and television, often in roles that blur the line between their musical and acting worlds. Kevin, an accomplished actor, produced and starred in the 2004 film The Woodsman, for which the band contributed the track "Chop Wood (Carry Water)." They also supplied "When You Decide You've Stayed Too Long" for the 2003 film Red Betsy. In a family collaboration, Kevin starred in and produced Loverboy alongside his wife Kyra Sedgwick, while Michael composed the film's score. Their reach into children's media includes singing title tracks on Sandra Boynton's albums Dog Train and Philadelphia Chickens. On the television side, Michael earned an Emmy for his soundtrack work on the PBS mini-series The Kennedys and The Jewish Americans in 2008. The brothers made a memorable appearance on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in January 2006, where Michael was the makeover recipient and the duo closed the episode with a live performance. They also performed on Daryl Hall's Live from Daryl's House in 2009 and recorded a Private Sessions episode for A&E that same year.

Touring & Unconventional Stages

The Bacon Brothers have built a reputation as a touring act with a strong connection to their Philadelphia roots and a willingness to play unconventional venues. In June 2009, they performed a brief concert for fundraisers who had summited Pikes Peak in Colorado in support of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, an event captured on video by high-altitude marathoner Matt Carpenter and shared on their Myspace page. That same night, they played the Denver Hard Rock Cafe alongside Cy Curnin of The Fixx and The White Buffalo. During the summer of 2009, they headlined the WXPN Xpotential Music Festival in Camden, New Jersey, promoting their fifth studio album New Year's Day. The festival set was particularly memorable for featuring local Mummers musicians joining them to perform the album's title track. Over the years, the band has toured throughout North America and Europe, headlining and supporting shows, and their live work has been documented on DVD, including the 2003 release Live: The No Food Jokes Tour.

Later Albums & Family in the Studio

The band's later catalog reflects both artistic evolution and deepening family ties. Their 2014 album 36¢, released after an extensive North American summer tour, featured a title song penned by Michael and a track called "Get a Little" that Kevin had originally written for a young country singer before the band kept it. The record also included an unplugged rendition of Alanis Morissette's "You Learn" and a version of "Above the Clouds" from their 2009 Daryl's House appearance, with Tom Wolk on guitar. Their 2018 self-titled seventh studio album, produced by former SNL musical director G.E. Smith, saw Kevin's wife Kyra Sedgwick and daughter Sosie Bacon contribute background vocals on "I Feel You" and "Broken Glass," with Sosie also appearing in the latter's music video. Notably, the closing track "Boys in Bars" was re-recorded at Lehman College Studios in 2016, where Michael serves as an associate professor in the Music program. The band continued releasing music through 2024 with albums including The Way We Love, Erato, and Ballad of the Brothers.

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