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There is something deceptive about American folk music.  What begins as simple entertainment can, at once, become great art in an unassuming way.  First, you're listening to three simple chords and then the lore and legends leap out at you through harmony, melody,strings, and skill, as if alive from history.  This was demonstrated in a special semi-unplugged show by The We Five at The Fret House in Covina on November 8.  The name without a doubt leads  the association with their hit, Ian & Sylvia's, "You Were On My Mind." But there is an unwritten history behind this band of family musicians.   Consisting of Jerry  Burgan on vocals, guitar and banjo, Debbie Burgan on lead and harmony vocals,  Chris Burgan (their son) on lead guitar, filled out by Terry Rango and Tholo Chan on bass, keyboards and rhythm guitars,  The We Five, also billed as The Folk Rock Revival, bring a show that is a survey of the American folk music of the last 100 years.  What stands out in their signature song, "You Were On My Mind" is also their strength today; soaring vocals, intricate harmonies, fresh arrangements, skilled musicianship, and most important, an approach to performing in a way that brings the song to center stage rather than ego-pumping, self-serving showmanship, which they could do with their considerable talents. 

During the two-hour show, We Five showed a passion for American folk music making them more than qualified to take us flight over this unique musical terrain.  In addition to their signature song, they also played their second hit song (no, they are not a one-hit-wonder), the original version of "Let's Get Together", recorded a few years before The Youngbloods. We Five's version charted in the Top 40.   There was also a rousing tribute to Bob Dylan including a beautiful version of the less familiar "Bob Dylan's Dream." 

A personal highlight of the evening was a tribute to singer songwriter and former Kingston Trio member, John Stewart.  Not many bands can boast having the Lonesome Picker himself write songs for them.   Original member, Michael Stewart, was John's younger brother and Jerry Burgan's best friend.  He passed away in 1999, but his influence is felt in the Five's original approach to song arrangement.  With the exception of "Never Goin' Back," two of the songs, "I Can Never Go Back Home Again" and "Love Me Not Tomorrow,"  were written specifically for the band and one, a rarely heard song by Stewart called, "With Their Eyes On The Stars," about the Kennedy era race to the moon.  For the John Stewart fan, this is worth the price of admission. 

Along with the loose family feel of the band and the audience, what made this concert so memorable was the gifted way each sometimes familiar song is arranged and performed with a new life that demonstrates their skill.  As a live act, the multi-level harmonies, tasteful lead guitar and a steady bass rhythm traded between Tholo and Terry, both long time family friends and survivors of the 60's music scene, prove this band to be both durable and contemporary. 

As a bonus, Jerry and Debbie's daughter, Jessica, came out to sing Ian Tyson's classic, ""Someday Soon," confirming both her gifts and the musical gifts of her family.  Like her mother, as she finished the song, it was just not like hearing an old familiar song again, but a fresh new experience bringing new meaning to every word.   

With a treasure chest of American folk songs wrapped in their own fresh arrangements, The We Five bring a vision of folk music of the past to the present and ready to take with us into our future.  Who can ask for more from any group of folksingers? 

for more information on The We Five, visit www.officialwefive.com