“Our Father’s Music” Highlights Alton’s Musical Connections

Feb 6, 2023 11:57 AM Feb 6, 2023 12:06 PM

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From left to right, James Thompson, Louis Bratton, Howard Neal, Lorenzo Small, Brenda Lancaster, Dilbert Caldwell and James Vaughn.

ALTON - Lorenzo Small and several other Alton-area musicians have been forming a group called “Our Father’s Music” to highlight the connections Alton and its residents have to music and music history. They had a photoshoot at Lewis and Clark Community College on Saturday, Jan. 28 to help the community visualize the group as they go forward.

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"We decided if we're going to start group, to at least get a picture so that as we try to promote other artists, anyone on the outside of this group would know who we are," Small said of the photoshoot.

“Our purpose is to bring attention to people from the Alton area who are accomplished musicians and/or artists themselves,” he added.

Other group members include several Alton-area musicians. The current members are as follows:

Howard Neal - frontman and visionary of the group
Lorenzo Small - percussionist, group secretary
Dilbert Caldwell - vocalist from Alton group “Picture This”
Louis Bratten - bass guitarist
James Thomson - guitarist, bass guitarist, vocalist
Brenda Lancaster - vocalist and Gospel Choir teacher at Lewis & Clark Community College
James Vaughn III - keyboardist

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Small has performed multiple times in the annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival, and contributed to the Miles Davis Memorial Project, which brought a statue of Davis to downtown Alton. It’s a locally well-known fact that Davis was born in Alton, but Our Father’s Music aims to raise awareness of the other great Alton musicians of today.

He said while the group is composed of musicians, they aren’t necessarily a band - each member is from Alton, and their families all have a connection to music or music history, which is where the name “Our Father’s Music” comes from.

Between the group members’ combined musical talents, Small said they are planning on a possible performance sometime down the road.

“We have all the components of a band,” Small said. “We are thinking about the possibility of getting together and performing.”

He said the group is currently in the process of making a website or Facebook page. If you’re an Alton-area musician or resident with a connection to music or music history, contact Small at (618) 210-9809.

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