Making music is a family affair for “The Carpenters.” Those who attend this Friday’s noon Concert in the Gardens performance in Tifton Gardens will be treated to a variety of musical selections.

The free concerts are sponsored by The Tifton Gazette and Main Street Tifton.

The Carpenter brothers — Clinton, Cal and Fred — play a variety of instruments and sing a variety of songs. Most of the group’s repertoire are old gospel songs, bluegrass and some western selections, but they’ll mix it up with some easy rock 'n roll songs from the '50s and '60s.

Clinton Carpenter said their father, Paul, was “always in music.” Paul is now deceased and his widow, Essie, lives in the area.

“It is something we have always done as a family,” Carpenter said. “It was a hobby at get-togethers. When we’d have meals together on Sundays, we’d get out the guitars and play a little.

“He got us together and got us interested in playing. That is how we got started.”

Clinton Carpenter said he, his father and Jerry Conway formed a group and played together on various occasions at a variety of venues. He said that his father played with friends and played some with the Georgia Ramblers back in the 1970s.

Fred Carpenter plays the bass, Cal plays the mandolin and Clinton plays the guitar. Jerry Conway and his cousin, David Conway, will join the Carpenter brothers and perform with the group on Friday.

Clinton Carpenter encourages everyone to attend Friday’s Concert in the Garden performance.

“I think we can do something for anyone who attends,” he said.

The free, noontime Friday concerts continue downtown through May.

To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.