One of the Top 40 bands of the '60s was called The Unit Four, Plus Two.
These days the Hughes Brothers are "The Unit Four, Plus One" - a quartet of singing brothers plus one brother on an LDS mission. Like a hockey team, the boys have been "skating at a disadvantage" for some time now. But that hasn't slowed them down. Next month they'll push their careers ahead a thousand miles to - to Branson, Mo."When the boys began, we were told we'd either make it big fast, or we'd end up quitting," says mother Lena. "Neither was true. We've been at this for 10 years now. A lot of other family groups have bit the dust in that time. But now we're finally ready. We head to Branson in early May to perform at Silver Dollar City, an arts and crafts theme park that has 5 million visitors a year. The boys will be doing five shows a day."
Before shouldering that heavy load, however, the Hughes Brothers will offer a series of local farewell shows. On April 24, 25, 27 and 28 the group will perform at Taylorsville High School. The programs will double as fund-raisers for the Taylorsville drama department. Showtime is 7 p.m. Phone 262-9966 or 263-6153 for ticket information.
As for the brothers in the "brother act," they've been biding their time but have hardly been out of the limelight. They've won Star-mania and StarPlus singing competitions, won the Utah County Showdown, twice, and have performed from Mount Rushmore to Mount Olympus. Adam was named "Junior Swing Champ" at the National Ballroom Dance Cham-pion-ships, Marty's been a television star in Korea, and Jason has been the leading man in several musicals. Ryan is on a mission, and Andy is just now coming into his own as a performer.
"We started out when Andy was 2 years old," says Jason. "Now he's 17. We always use Andy as a calendar. The thing is we've all ended up baritones. So country music seems to suit our voices more than other styles."
As you might guess, the boys' musical gifts are family gifts. Father Gary sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and Lena has a drawer full of music credentials.
But being talented is one thing. Getting to the level of national prominence is quite another. Being bona fide stars requires luck, timing - and knowing a few people. And that first step on the ladder of fame is the tough one. Right now, for instance, the boys are forced to do "covers" of a lot of songs because their own tunes are just beginning to get some airplay. Currently, "Talking to the Man" looks like it may be the first to make some waves for the boys. It has an upbeat, dance-time rhythm that is the hallmark of youth music.
Marriage has also been good to the brothers. Jason and Marty's wives, Mara and Cindy, are not only supportive, but they are talented dancers and choreographers. They keep the bounce going in the boys' stage show.
"Over the years we've had to keep going," says Lena, "there was enough demand for them to sing we just couldn't stop. The problem has been that as their voices changed we had to keep rearranging all the harmony parts."
In performance, the Hughes Brothers both play against - and play into - their similarities with the Osmond Brothers. Both have been wholesome, uptempo, LDS pop groups that trade on energy and sentiment. Patriotism and gospel music has had a place with both families. And - for both - Branson has become the place to go. Still, where the Osmonds were the first, learning the ropes the hard way and figuring out how to be Mormon entertainers as they went along, the Hughes family can benefit from all the other family acts that have blazed a few trails and pointed out some hassles.
It has paid off with some early maturity and a sense of what needs to be done.
"We're really excited to have the Hughes Brothers comes to Branson," says Shaun Murray of the Silver Dollar City. "We love the fact they're a family. And they represent many traditional values. They're superbly talented and - most of all - they're new. We feel we've scored a coup by getting them here."
Right now, however, the family feels a little more like they have the world on their shoulders rather than being on top of the world. There is so much to do before leaving. But a day at a time, things are coming together.
"We leave the first week in May," says Lena, with a sigh. "In our minds, we feel like Mormon pioneers. The difference is, we're heading in the opposite direction."