Big Country Bluegrass delivers their own hard driving and heartfelt style of bluegrass music, and it makes them crowd favorites wherever they perform. Whether it's at a festival in Missouri, on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, or at a small intimate concert in their hometown of Independence, Virginia, the band brings back memories reminiscent of the early days of bluegrass music.
Tommy and Teresa Sells formed Big Country Bluegrass in 1987, and the group's name comes from the instrumental "Big Country" that the late Jimmy Martin recorded many years ago. All band members live in and around the Virginia-Carolina Blue Ridge, and their music reflects much of the deep musical heritage found in this region which is at the heart of the Crooked Road Music Trail.
Tommy plays mandolin and does most of the emcee work while Teresa plays rhythm guitar, sings lead and the high harmony vocals. Eddie Gill handles most of the distinctive lead vocals and plays the guitar. John Treadway plays banjo and also sings harmony for the group. Tony King of Galax, Virginia, plays the acoustic upright bass, and bluegrass veteran Tim Laughlin, of Bristol, Tennessee, plays fiddle and sings harmony with the band.
The recent success of Big Country Bluegrass on the bluegrass charts has helped spread the word about their traditional sound. Each of their last four Rebel Records releases has had a # 1 song on the Bluegrass Unlimited air-play chart. The songs were: "The Boys in Hats & Ties", "I'm Putting On My Leaving Shoes". "The Bluefield West Virginia Blues", and "Burn the Barn."
The band now has their new Rebel Records release, Mountains, Mamas, and Memories, and it's available to fans from band members or through this website - see brand new recording page for details for Mountains, Mamas, and Memories and see the recordings page for all their other recordings.
