The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers is a jubilee-style, a cappella, sacred gospel quintet from Covington, Ky. Thirty-one years ago, Eric "Ric" Jennings formed a five-voice quintet (one lead and four harmony vocalists) out of the renowned Ninth Street Baptist Church Men's Choir. Since the beginning, this community-based quintet has sung in churches, at special gospel programs, anniversaries, song services and other sacred music events. In any setting, the Brotherhood's performances inspire feelings of fellowship and recreate the jubilant atmosphere of their home churches.
In addition to continuing the traditional role of the gospel quartet, the Brotherhood reaches out to a global audience with both spiritual and secular songs. They were an annual hit in Spain (17 tours between 1999 - 2011) and have traveled to Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Canada and Russia (2012). Recently, they have been discovered by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., and many secular venues in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. While all the members have kept their day jobs, the Brotherhood is a unique group that is both locally known and semiprofessional. Their music is rich and complex and arises out of a shared inner-city experience that stresses faith, learning and communicative arts.
Patriotic tunes, Christmas and feel good R&B music now round out the group's repertoire.
Typically, a full performance by the Brotherhood begins with five songs featuring solos by each group member, demonstrating their versatility and range. They follow that up with a move into the audience to get the house singing along, shaking hands and having a good time. The Brotherhood continues active involvement by inviting guests to join them on stage to sing a couple of songs with universal appeal. They then slow it down a bit to offer up songs that allow music to reach the deepest parts of the soul. The show closes on a high note with a few up-tempo songs, encouraging the crowd to clap along. Concerts range from 30 to 75 minutes.
Current members are Eric "Ric" Jennings, Eric Riley, Stace "Babydeac" Darden, Demetrius "Chilly Wind" Davenport and Sam "Watson" Norris Jr. (6th member Luther Scruggs)