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Brandy Ray vividly remembers the date on which her current primary project, Brandywine and the Mighty Fines, performed live for the first time: March 6, 2020. This is because, a week later, COVID-19 caused the world to shut down. The band could finally kick themselves into gear once regulations were lifted, starting with a handful of gigs and booking more and more as they cemented the lineup.

The core lineup of the band consists of Brandy on mandolin and vocals, her husband Joshua Ray on guitar and vocals, and Matthew Schexnyder on guitar and vocals, with all three serving as the primary songwriters as well. Early in the band’s run, Emerson Lamm contributed banjo and Lena Dow contributed bass and vocals. Currently, Maya Fabrikant will often contribute vocals and fiddle, Joe Gibb will often contribute bass, and Neil Mitchell will often contribute drums. However, the Rays and Schexnyder are the consistent core members.

The name started as an in-joke from Brandy, or “Brandywine” herself. Due to her extroverted personality and excitement for interacting with others, as well as her consistent role in behind-the-scenes management, the band has crafted themselves around her being a central role. She jokingly called the other members the “Mighty Fines” because they have ultimately had longer experiences performing music. Gibb studied bass, and Joshua and Schexnyder have played guitar for most of their lives.

However, Brandy had only started playing the mandolin a year before the band formed, having dabbled in music only occasionally throughout her life before then. Joshua knew Brandy loved to sing, so he bought her a mandolin and encouraged her to explore a new avenue of her musicality. She hasn’t looked back since.

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