Concert features brothers

Two musical sons of Columbia County have returned home to rock Augusta's Imperial Theater.

Brothers Charles and Josh Kelley, graduates of Lakeside High School, will take the stage together Wednesday night in support of Charles' debut album, 2 the 9's. The concert and CD release starts at 7 p.m., and doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission costs $10.

The album's title is a reference to Josh Kelley's take on Charles' personal style, Charles said.

"I always like to dress up in suits when I'm on stage," Charles said. "My brother, kind of kidding around, (said) that I'm always dressed to the nines and (that) I should call the album that."

Charles graduated from the University of Georgia in 2004 with a degree in finance and spent a year loathing his desk job and longing to return to performing, he said.

"It was one of those tough periods in your life when you're trying to figure out what you're all about and what you want to be," Charles said. "Music was always calling me and one weekend me and Josh got together and wrote a bunch and just felt the magic again."

Leaving the business world behind him, Charles, 24, returned to the music scene five months ago, teaming with his brother Josh, 26, who produced Charles' 10-song album in Nashville, Tenn.

"This is Charles' coming out (party) as a solo musician," Josh said during a telephone interview from Hollywood. "(For me) having produced the album, it's going to be the proud brother syndrome thing."

Josh Kelley, who has released two albums with Hollywood Records and tours nationally with a five-piece band, last performed in Augusta during Masters Week, taking the stage with artists including Hootie and the Blowfish and Edwin McCain.

Josh is in Hollywood recording a song for the soundtrack of the upcoming feature film John Tucker Must Die.

Josh said his best advice to the younger Kelley was "to find out exactly who you are and exactly what you want to represent and stand for."

"Other than that I don't want to get in his grips too deep," Josh said. "He's a creative kid and I want him to do whatever he wants to do without pushing him in any particular direction."

Though this is his first major stop on a tour that will take him to the northeast and midwest, Charles said he's gotten a lot of positive feedback through his Web site and on Myspace.

"I'm a little nervous for it'll be my first big performance in a long time," Charles said. "I put it (my music) up for awhile, and I'm just now getting back into it and I'm real excited. I think it'll be fun to just get up there and relax and of course to have all my family and friends up there. "