Theo & Brenna

{Theo MacMillan}

From a young age Theo had an intense interest in music. Performing in local choirs, churches, family concerts and talent shows kept him on the stage. He started playing piano at 5 years old and fiddle at 7. His interests in writing grew when he picked up guitar at 11. Theo was introduced to bluegrass when his younger sister Brenna was given a banjo that same year. Theo continued to write throughout highschool, and in 2010 visited Nashville, TN to write with family friends, the Henningsens. After visiting Music City, he knew it would be his eventual destination. While attending Berea College, Theo was connected with Al White, the director of the Bluegrass Music Ensemble at Berea College (previously of the Bluegrass Alliance, McClain Family Band). Theo played with the Bluegrass Ensemble for three years, singing lead, harmonies and playing fiddle. This lead to Theo's involvement in a full-length bluegrass album, multiple production-level concerts, occasional tours and production of a popular music video for Al White's bluegrass arrangement of "Carol of the Bells" (released December 2016). His senior year Theo was given the Red Foley Memorial Music Award by Berea College for his role in the Bluegrass Ensemble and his active involvement promoting roots music on campus. After graduation Theo used academic award money to move to Nashville, TN. Theo works as a software engineer and fill-in fiddle player. He continues to write and produce his own songs, shows and other musical content. Theo resides in Franklin, TN.

{Brenna}
Growing up, Brenna always sang harmony parts in bluegrass bands, children's choirs, church choirs, or family singings. She began to play the banjo when she was nine, being the only one in her family from Kentucky it was only natural to learn the banjo. Throughout highschool, she dabbled in several different kinds of music, performing anything from R&B hits to gospel numbers. Her family became very large and diverse through adoption when she was 11, and at this time her love for the rhythm of a banjo roll developed from researching the banjo in West Africa and listening to Liberian drumming. In college, she and her brother Theo were able to be a part of the college bluegrass band together and through this opportunity she realized that playing bluegrass music was a forever part of her life. She wrote a few songs the first few years of college and now is often inspired to write personal stories into songs. She is currently finishing her last semester of college for a degree in Chemistry and then plans to move to Nashville, Tennessee by 2018.