Photo courtesy of Tracer Rock Photography

A feature documentary on beloved born and bred New Jersey band From Good Homes entitled Charlie Loves Our Band, The Story of From Good Homes is due to screen at the Lake Mohawk Country Club in Sparta, N.J. on Sept. 15. Two days later, the film’s subjects will play their annual reunion show at the Fields at Waterloo in Hackettstown, N.J. on Sept. 17.

Charlie Loves Our Band, The Story of From Good Homes tells the story of Good Homes, which formed in the 1980s in Sparta, N.J., just a stone’s throw away from New York City. At first, three childhood friends, Patrick Fitzsimmons (drums, vocals), Brady Rymer (bass, vocals) and Todd Sheaffer (guitar, vocals, harmonica) created a style of music heavily influenced by the rock and roll of the ’60s and ’70s, injected with the youthful energy of their own decade marinated with American storytelling and folk music.

The sound was not quite defined enough to warrant its own name, but the three were rocking into the ’90s. From Good Homes were then joined by Jamie Coan (guitar, mandolin, violin, vocals) and Dan Myers (saxophones, melodica, keyboards, vocals), and a new style was identified as Hick-Pop.

Their unique sound and New Jersey personas garnered several albums from From Good Homes, two of which were produced with RCA Records. Despite breaking up in 1999 (Sheaffer went on to form Railroad Earth, and Brady Rymer has received three Grammy nominations for family music), their canon of music and annual reunion concerts, From Good Homes continues to amass a community of diehard fans.

“Devoted fans who don’t just see an occasional show, but see every show possible, and become friendly with other diehards, and basically live for the music in a way that goes way beyond traditional fandom,” said founder and editor NJArts.net Jay Lusting of From Good Homes fan base. “Charlie Loves Our Band is the story of these dedicated fans, and the band that they love!”

Charlie Loves Our Band, The Story of From Good Homes is told by filmmaker, friend and former tour manager Vic Guadagno who meticulously trimmed at stitched approximately 300 hours of footage he shot, recent concert footage, interviews with the band, friends of the band and industry professionals to create a personal and honest story of one of New Jersey’s favorite groups of the ’90s.

From Good Homes still performs their reunion show annually and released their sixth album Time and the River, in 2019.

Tickets to the screening of Charlie Loves Our Band, The Story of From Good Homes can be purchased at Eventbrite, and more information can be found here.

Find tickets to the From Good Homes Waterloo concert here.

Watch a trailer for Charlie Loves Our Band, The Story of From Good Homes below.