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Relative harmony: 11 family bands that successfully balance music, life

Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear's new tune "Silent Movies" is an off-kilter bit of folk brilliance defined by bouncy acoustic guitar and possessed vocals. It's the kind of deceptively simple song that reveals something new with each successive listen.

If you knew nothing of this Kansas City act before taking in all of its equally serendipitous tunes from the recently released debut album, Skeleton Crew, you might assume the band's name bears no real-world meaning. You might never realize that the striking lead singer is actually performing and harmonizing with his mother.

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Madisen Ward and his mom, Ruth, are starting to pick up serious steam in the music world, and they're likely to meet a rapt crowd when they arrive at the Kessler Theater in Dallas. Not only is their work utterly fascinating, but we'll be looking for more insight into their onstage dynamic.

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The Wards have admitted in past interviews that they have the typical roller-coaster relationship of any parent and child. They join a few other family bands who've managed to find the right balance, against all odds.

The Judds

The ultimate mother-child singing duo, made up of Naomi and Wynonna Judd, reigned over the country world for much of the late '80s and early '90s before the younger Judd struck out on her own. But that hasn't stopped them from reuniting frequently, even with a consistently rocky relationship. They just ended a nine- show run in Vegas.

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Naomi and Wynonna Judd performing in 2011
Naomi and Wynonna Judd performing in 2011(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

First Aid Kit

peaking of country sounds, the Swedish folk-singing sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg have an obsession with twang that's paid off in three studio albums over the last five years. One of their best songs, 2012's "Emmylou," name-checks Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash and June Carter.

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Here's another European sibling duo, but this one couldn't be further from the country world. British brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence have excited both newfangled fans of EDM pop and veterans of more serious and influential forms of electronic music. Their sophomore album, this year's Caracal, finds them working with stars such as Lorde, Sam Smith and Miguel.

Rae Sremmurd

Traveling back across the pond, Mississippi brothers Khalif and Aaquil Brown are ending their breakout year, in which their stripped-down, hypnotic hip-hop captured young listeners' imaginations everywhere. And quick to capitalize on the success, the Brown bros are looking to release their second LP in less than a year very soon.

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Tegan and Sara

Pop-minded Canadian sisters Tegan and Sara Quin had a slower climb to household-name status, releasing six well-received albums before catching the ears of the mainstream in 2013 with the hook-filled album Heartthrob.

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Haim

Three California sisters, Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, are responsible for this group's rhythmic, harmony-laden pop tunes. Fans are patiently awaiting the sophomore follow-up to the 2013 debut album Days Are Gone. Its single, "The Wire," was one of the most enjoyable to come out that year.

Hanson

Many would have branded Oklahoma brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson a novelty act when their song "MMMBop" hit the charts in 1997. Yet here they are, still going strong nearly 20 years later. That's thanks to honest-to- goodness musical talent and a loyal fan base that's grown up with the guys.

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Echosmith

Hanson could be a good role model for Cali siblings Graham, Noah, Sydney and Jamie Sierota, who make up the rising indie-pop band Echosmith. They hit the airwaves in 2013 with the hit "Cool Kids" and have since been through Dallas to play live a few times.

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The Band Perry

The award-winning country group features Alabama siblings Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry. They rose to fame on the strength of skillfully written and performed country folk, but they're branching out into poppier territory on the third full-length album, Heart + Beat, coming out later this month.

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Eisley

We end the quick tour of active family bands with a group that hails from just down the road in Tyler. Chauntelle, Sherri, Stacy, Weston and Garron are four siblings and a cousin from the DuPree family who've been playing moody pop-rock since the late '90s. Some of the members are married with busy lives now, but they still gather as a band to record and play live. They'll be at Trees on Dec. 1.

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