Big Country Bluegrass My Old Virginia Home CD

While many bluegrass groups deliver lively vocal and instrumental performance and artistry, none has the native born talent that you’ll hear on this fifth release of Big Country Bluegrass on the Hay Holler label. Big Country Bluegrass, founded by Tommy and Teresa Sells14 years ago, delivers obviously heartfelt reverence for the traditions, life themes and faith of Appalachian people, and more specifically Blue Ridge mountain people.Longing for home and family is present in Teresa’s lead singing on “I’m Longing For My Old Virginia Home,” and in new Big Country guitarist and singer Jimmy Trivette’s rendition of “Mama’s Crown.” Jimmy’s rich tenor vocals are joined on this recording by the pitch-perfect resonant fiddle work of Tom Brantley, who demonstrates his vocal range as well, singing lead, low tenor and bass on this album.The work life of Appalachian folks is present in hard driving songs “Carolina Moonshiner” and “Long Haul Truckin’.” On Lee Highway Blues, Tom Brantley displays the ability to play at blinding tone-perfect speeds and he mimics the manual shift of a logging truck. I swear I can hear the baying of a hound dog in parts of his fiddling on this tune.Big Country’s inclusion of four gospel compositions shows the group’s honoring of the faith that has helped generations to survive and love life in the mountains.The musicianship on this album is as clearly delivered as the themes about which Big Country sings. Larry Pennington’s banjo leaps into the room with the urgency you’d expect of a moonshiner making a large sale. Tommy Sells’ mandolin work is rhythmically solid and not cluttered with attempt to deliver too many notes. The guitar work of Teresa and Jimmy combined with Alan Mastin’s bass fiddle provides the foundation of the drive that characterizes this Blue Ridge Mountain gathering of traditional performers.Big Country Bluegrass is more than a collection of individually talented musicians and singers ... they are a “show group” whose stage performance radiates intensity and moves their audience to remember and rejoice in roots of traditional music. Davis C. Tracy, PhD 2001 WDVC, Dickinson College Radio Carlisle, Pennsylvania