When it comes to playing bluegrass music with deep nods towards its earliest roots, Big Country Bluegrass is one of the genre’s greatest purveyors. Formed in 1987 by Tommy and Teresa Sells, the group has garnered widespread acclaim for their hard hitting musical approach, most notably being one of the few traditionally-oriented bands to have five straight number one hits on Bluegrass Unlimited’s National Bluegrass Survey. After a hiatus of six years, the group has returned with Carry Me Back To The Bluegrass on Rebel Records, an album presenting the formula that has never failed them.
The title track, Carry Me Back To The Bluegrass, was written and first recorded by Dave Evans in 1979. Guitarist Eddie Gill delivers a powerful performance on lead vocals. Along with Gill, the current configuration of Big Country Bluegrass consists of Tommy and Teresa Sells on mandolin and guitar respectively, Billy Hawks on fiddle and vocals, Daniel Martin on banjo and vocals, and Tony King on bass.
Remember Who You Are by Greg Preece is a contemporary song with the classic themes of making and selling moonshine combined with family pride. This track is an excellent example of the dynamic vocal harmony between Gill, Teresa, and Hawks.
Several tracks on this release paint descriptive pictures with the lyrics, one being Springtime in the Mountains. Written by Osburn Thorpe, this song presents vivid imagery and nostalgia of the spring season deep within the mountains. It’s a track that puts Teresa Sells’ pure lead vocals on full display.
Hack’s Breakdown was written by Big Country Bluegrass’ original banjoist Larry Pennington in honor of his father. Daniel Martin delivers a performance here that shows his prowess on the five string while simultaneously allowing the group to tip their hat to Pennington who passed away in 2003.
One of the strongest selections, A Stranger In My Hometown, was written by Tom T and Dixie Hall. With a sad tale about a man attempting to return to his town following the end of a romantic relationship, the words contain all the hallmarks of a song penned by the legendary music industry couple.
The final track, When There’s Nothing But The Crickets Left To Sing was penned and recorded by Bill Grant in 1976. Carrying even more of the nostalgia contained on some of the other selections, this song provides for a fitting end to this effort.
With raw, unapologetic authenticity, Big Country Bluegrass has brought us a collection of music that reminds many of us why we came to love this music in the first place. Kyle Cantrell said it best in the liner notes of Carry Me Back To The Bluegrass when he stated that “Big Country Bluegrass (reminds) us how real bluegrass should sound.”
