POP MUSIC REVIEW : Forester Sisters Bring Family Harmony to Stage

It is hard to figure: While so many of us north of the Mason-Dixon line grew up breaking our siblings’ toys, fighting for the drumsticks at the dinner table and spurning anything our parents might conceivably enjoy, why have so many Southern families found harmony together, in the most literal sense of the word?

Whatever the reason, the tradition of family harmony singing that runs from the Carter Family up through the Judds has been a blessing for music fans. As perhaps best exemplified by the Everly Brothers, common genes seem to make for heavenly vocal harmonies.

The Forester Sisters’ performance at the Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana on Monday did nothing to dispel that notion. The quartet, based in Lookout Mountain, Ga., delivered a 19-song set of four-part harmonies that were both homespun and close-knit.

Though the two blond sisters, Kathy and Kim, handled the bulk of the lead vocals, the Foresters present themselves as a homogeneous package. One has to squint to find the individual sisters’ names listed on their albums, and while their excellent six-piece backup band was introduced in detail, the sisters, who also shared between-song announcing duties, never identified themselves on stage.

That united front seems to work for the band: “We don’t know who’s who,” said Scott Sagum, who drove from Valencia with his wife to see the show, “but we sure know all their songs.” And, fittingly, the set’s strongest songs were those that showcased the group harmonies.

Along with a faithful version of the McGuire Sisters 1955 hit “Sincerely,” rich harmony interplay prevailed on “Lyin’ in His Arms Again,” “Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy,” the Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” and the Western swing-inflected “You Can’t Have a Good Time Without Me,” one of two new songs introduced in the show.

Neither Kathy nor Kim has a voice that comes close to catching the ache and feeling Wynonna Judd sends soaring over her mother’s harmonies, but judged by less stellar standards, each has a fine country voice.

Singer/guitarist Kim, particularly, lent persuasive vocals to Foster and Lloyd’s “Leave It Alone”--which also boasted some hot fiddle breaks from multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Mattingly--”Letter Home” and the up-tempo yet melancholy “You Love Me.”