Making music for some is an escape from family life, but for Leslie Francis, vocalist of the Mattoon-based folk-rock band Muddy Grove, making music began with family.

Growing up in a home where music like the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac were always playing and where every family member could play an instrument or sing, it was only natural that Francis and her Brother, Johnny Cornell, began playing songs together.

One day, when Wesley was 17 and her brother was 21, they began jamming and singing something random and decided to make it a song. 

That’s where Muddy Grove’s original music began.

“It wasn’t even about anything,” Francis said. “It was called ‘Looking.’ We don’t even have it on our album; we just decided that we liked it. We played it and people really enjoyed it so we just kept writing.”

To this day, Francis said their family usually fills a big section of the audience at most of the group’s shows.

But the family dynamic doesn’t quite stop there.

Francis’ husband, Caleb Francis, is the band’s bassist; he began playing in the band back in the beginning stages when the two of them started dating.

Although family life can be tense for some, Wesley said there is virtually zero drama within the band because all the members work so well together.

“It makes it easier because we’re always together anyways,” she said. “We all get along really well, and as far as playing and writing, we all have such great chemistry musically, so it’s just second nature to us.”

The band, also consisting of Mclain Schaefer on drums, will be performing at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jackson Avenue Coffee.

For the most part the band tries to write happy songs, Francis said, though she couldn’t exactly pinpoint where her lyrical inspiration always comes from.

“It’s a lot easier for musicians to just write what you feel when you’re going through hard times, so if something happens I immediately write a song about it,” she said.

Like other aspects of the band, the name Muddy Grove also came about somewhat randomly.

Francis said the members were driving and playing a game where they would stare at passing landmarks and billboards and randomly proclaim band names.

One such suggestion went like, “Hey everybody, we’re Tree Branch!”

But the name that stuck most was Muddy Grove.

Francis said the name sits well with fans because it sounds familiar to them, almost like a band name they have heard before.

“We felt like that was a good name, like hey people think they already know who that is, maybe that will work in our favor,” she said. “So we decided to keep it.”

Though the band’s fan base is strongest in Illinois, Muddy Grove has gained national and international attention.

Francis said people from as far away as California, Latin America and Germany have listened to the band and sent messages.

She said Muddy Grove’s performance energy can range from acoustic shows with her and her brother to higher energy, electric sets with the full band.

Stephanie Markham can be reached at 581-2812 or DENverge@gmail.com.