The Bacon Brothers take the stage at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts | Press Releases

The Bacon Brothers, a rollicking band fronted by actor Kevin Bacon and his Emmy-winning brother, Michael, bring their unique blend of folk, rock, soul and country to Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m.

From their debut performance as a duo in 1994, The Bacon Brothers have gained fans and wowed critics with three albums and sold-out concerts for appreciative audiences across the country. The brothers' soulful singing, broad lyrical palette and solid musicianship prove they're far more than a movie star's hobby.

"We knew there would be a certain amount of eye-rolling going on," Kevin Bacon told The New York Times. "It was inevitable. But the fact was we always played together. And we figured, look at the upside, people will come to the show because of the celebrity aspect, and then they'll hear great music and we've made a new fan. And that's just what happened."

Best known for star turns in the films "Apollo 13," "A Few Good Men" and "Footloose," Kevin Bacon grew up listening to his older brother's music in their Philadelphia home. The brothers sometimes played together, but, as a teen, Kevin decided to pursue acting rather than music. Married to actress Kyra Sedgwick, the younger Bacon has had a successful film and TV career, appearing in so many ensemble casts that his prolific career spawned the book and game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon."

Bacon's acting prowess has won him both fans and critical acclaim. He was voted Best Actor by the Broadcast Critics Association and received best supporting actor nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and the London Film Critics Circle for his role in "Murder in the First." He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his searing performance opposite Meryl Streep in "The River Wild."

Bacon throws his characteristic energy into his music as well. Influenced by James Taylor, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Clint Black and The Eagles, he is a lively but romantic vocalist who captivates audiences. Even critics aware of other less-than-stellar celebrity musical forays are pleasantly surprised by Bacon's formerly hidden talents.

"What he did do was clearly prove he is a gifted musical performer who takes his songwriting seriously," wrote Sarah Rodman of the Boston Herald.

After a musically diverse childhood, Michael Bacon joined the folk-rock group Good News, which toured extensively in the 1970s and recorded with Columbia Records. Moving to Nashville, Bacon recorded two solo albums and many artists, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Carlene Carter and Perry Como, recorded songs he wrote.

In 1985, Bacon, who holds a music degree from Lehman College, moved to New York City and began composing for film and television. He won an Emmy eight years later for his haunting score for the documentary "The Kennedys." Other accolades have followed, including an ACE Award nomination for "The Man Who Loved Sharks," and a Television Music Award and a Chicago International Film Festival Gold Plaque Award for "LBJ."

The Bacon brothers' first official collaboration came when Michael provided the score for Kevin's directorial debut, the Golden Globe and Ace Award winner "Losing Chase." In 1996, the duo releases its debut Bacon Brothers album, "Forosoco," a term they coined for their blend of folk, rock, soul and country. They've followed it up with "Getting There" and "Can't Complain."

The latest album shows the brothers broadening focus, running the gamut from the Motown-inspired "Heart Half Full" to the classical string arrangements found in "Paris" and "She is the Heart."

"For me this is the first time I intertwined my singer/songwriter life with 'legit' composition and orchestration," Michael Bacon has said of the album. "It was an absolute blast conducting the string orchestra for our own music."

He had high praise for his little brother, too.

"He is constantly finding hidden places of the soul and illuminating them with fresh light that reaches me and a lot of other people," he said. "It takes courage to do this but enormous talent to wrap these feelings into a beautiful or rockin' song."

Not that the brothers take themselves too seriously. At some shows, often with a little urging from the crowd, they'll launch into a campy version of the familiar theme from Kevin Bacon's dance film "Footloose." It's that kind of spontaneity and energy the film star says he loves about the band.

"One of the thrills we get is playing a place we've never been to before and seeing people singing along with our lyrics," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "The music is really reaching people."

Tickets range from $25 to $35. For tickets, call the box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396. For more information, visit the website, www.quickcenter.com.