The Slackjaw Bros. return to perform at Rancho Days Fiesta 2014

Heritage Hill Historical Park in Lake Forest will be hosting its annual Rancho Days Fiesta event this year on Sunday, May 4, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This family-oriented, educational program sponsored by O.C. Parks presents the history of Orange County's past from Native American tribes to the Rancho period through hands-on activities, crafts, music, and dance.

Among the entertainers to be featured at this event in their third straight appearance are The Slackjaw Bros., a musical duo based in Orange County, who dress in clothing from the Rancho period and perform tunes from that era.

"Brothers" Ray Herbeck and Tom Hoffmann are long-time friends and Civil War re-enactors who enjoy captivating their audience with their lively renditions of American songs of the Old West and pioneers, playfully bantering with each other and the crowds. They not only re-interpret the music for modern audiences, but also provide fascinating, historical background information about the songs they perform and the days in which these numbers were originally performed.

I caught up with Brother Tom recently, and asked him about the history of The Slackjaw Bros. and what they have planned this year.

How did The Slackjaw Bros. get their name? Quite by accident. Years ago my son was discussing Hawaiian slack key guitar with me and erroneously referred to it as "slackjaw guitar." I laughed pretty hard and then thought it would make an amusing name for a band.

Which period songs are your favorite ones you like to perform, and why? We like them all, but have a lot of fun performing the more lively ones with humorous lyrics such as "Oh Susanna," "Arkansas Traveler" and "The Grog Song."

Rancho Days Fiesta 2012 was your first stage performance in Orange County. What do you feel audiences most enjoy about The Slackjaw Bros. at these events? I think people find it entertaining that we play old time tunes they are familiar with and explain some historical aspect of the song they may not be aware of -- while sprinkling in a healthy dose of corny jokes.

Your first CD, "Almost Live," was released in 2010. Are you planning to release another CD soon? Our second CD is in the planning stages now and should be released within the next 12 months.

Where can people order your CD and find out about your upcoming performances? They can go to our website slackjawbros.com to learn more about us and order the CD. 

The Slackjaw Bros. are scheduled to perform at 11:40 on the Pepper Tree Stage at Heritage Hill Historical Park, 25151 Serrano Road in Lake Forest. Come hear them play, and be prepared to clap your hands and stomp your feet.

Visit http://ocparks.com/historic/heritage/ for more details about this event.