Earthy melodies

A Henan-based band of musicians from farmer families comes under the spotlight, after spending years in anonymity. Liu Xiangrui and Pan Yanan report.

The band Farmer Brothers takes great pride in its rural roots and simple music that celebrates everyday life. The six-member band based in Xunxian, Henan province, had been playing for years in relative anonymity, but is now under the spotlight.

After appearances on local stages and TV, they made it onto CCTV (China Central Television) in July, and turned overnight into celebrities.

But even so they are sometimes mocked for their "rustic" band name, and at other times, accused of cashing in on their ordinary identities.

"We all grew up in the countryside," says the band's leader and keyboard player Jiang Liwei, 37.

"Farmers don't always wear old clothes and straw hats, just as rock musicians don't necessarily wear long hair and outlandish clothes."

Jiang founded the band with five teenage students in 2002, while teaching music at a technical school. However, most of the band members went their separate ways after graduating.

The only other original member of the band, besides Jiang, is 24-year-old drummer Zhao Yanqing.

"Rock bands were extremely cool then, and I joined Jiang as soon as he suggested it," Zhao says.