The 4th Normal Form Band (4NF Band) is a band
from Franklin, IN that consists of four young boys (ages 15, 14, 12, and 10) and their father. They began performing in public
in January of 2002, after spontaneously forming in the Fall of 2001. They have performed regularly ever since. The 4NF Band has
performed at venues ranging from coffee shops and churches to college campuses, festivals, conferences centers, and county
and state fairs. The band has been seen by as many as 30,000 people at a single event (The Indianapolis Life 500 Mini Marathon).
Because of the band’s unique make-up and musical talent, they are regularly invited to perform around Indiana and surrounding
states.
The 4NF Band plays a variety of musical styles,
including progressive, hard, and soft rock, as well as blues and new country. In addition to their own original music, they
have covered such bands as Kansas, Journey, Jimmy Buffett, Boston, Rush, John Denver, Creed, and Kenny Wayne Sheppard.
Their music can be found on their 5 full-length CDs, Seeds of Time, Here in America…, Mothers
of Invention, HumaNature, and coram Deo. Various themes run through the band’s original
works. Some of their material is philosophical in nature, while some is simply amusing—creative illustrations of
contemporary life and thought.
The four boys are naturally talented musicians
who have chosen their own instruments and roles within the band. Zach, the oldest at age 15, plays bass and sings background
vocals. Isaac, who is 14, plays drums and sings lead and background vocals. Nathan, at age 12, plays keyboards and guitar and
sings background vocals and is the proud co-owner of a copyright for a song that appears on the band’s second CD.
Elijah, age 10, is the band's percussionist, occasional keyboardist, and sings background vocals. And finally,
Robert, father of the boys, is guitarist and sings lead and background vocals in the group. Although he played in various
bands as a drummer and background vocalist the previous 25 plus years, he has now assumed the role of front man—much
to the wonder of many of his ex-band mates.
The boys are all taught by their father, although Nathan
and Elijah also take piano lessons outside the home. In addition, they learn from watching others perform and from
picking up ideas from friends of the family.