Big Country Bluegrass Captures Nine 2010 SPBGMA Bluegrass …bigcountrybluegrass.com/Private files/BCBG SPBGMA 2… ·  · 2009-12-20bluegrass music professionals and fans alike

The Very Best In Old Time & Bluegrass Music 3192 Hwy 421 Bristol, Tennessee 37620 (423) 878-4269 (423) 217-3668 cell [email protected] www.mountainroadsrecordings.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Big Country Bluegrass Captures Nine 2010 SPBGMA Bluegrass Award Nominations Bristol, TN - Saturday December 18, 2009

Mountain Roads Recordings is extremely proud to announce that Big Country Bluegrass has received nine nominations for the 2010 Society For the Preservation of Bluegrass Music In America (SPBGMA) Annual Awards. The SPBGMA Bluegrass Awards will be presented at the 36th Anniversary of the awards to be held at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee February 4th through 7th, 2010. The awards presentation is the climax of the 27th Annual Bluegrass Convention for SPBGMA and will be attended by both bluegrass music professionals and fans alike from around the world.

Big Country Bluegrass is nominated in the following categories for this year’s awards:

BLUEGRASS SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Grady Bullins (High Alleghenies, Big Country Bluegrass’ hit song) BLUEGRASS ALBUM OF THE YEAR "OPEN FOR BUSINESS'" – by Big Country Bluegrass / Mountain Roads Records GUITAR PERFORMER OF THE YEAR Johnny Williams BANJO PERFORMER OF THE YEAR Lynwood Lunsford FIDDLE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR Jeff Michael MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Traditional) Jeff Michael INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Big Country Bluegrass BLUEGRASS BAND OF THE YEAR (Overall) Big Country Bluegrass SONG OF THE YEAR "HIGH ALLEGHENIES" – by Big Country Bluegrass / Mountain Roads Records ENTERTAINING GROUP OF THE YEAR Big Country Bluegrass

Big Country Bluegrass’ hit song, “High Alleghenies, from their Open For Business CD climbed the Bluegrass Unlimited Bluegrass Top 30 Chart and remained on the chart for twelve months running, longer than any other song in the 2009. This song made other music charts, including Bluegrass Music Profiles Top 30 Hot

Singles where it reached the #1 spot as well as Open For Business gaining the #1 spot in BMP’s Top 10 Bluegrass CDs Chart.

Big Country Bluegrass is noted for delivering their own style of authentic hard-driving bluegrass that makes them crowd favorites wherever they perform from festivals and concerts across this country to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. With more than two decades of experience under their belts, the band offers the very best in traditional bluegrass music and has created what has been described as their best album yet…. Open For Business. The band is comprised of Tommy Sells on mandolin, Teresa Sells on rhythm guitar and vocals, Alan Mastin on acoustic upright bass fiddle, Jeff Michael on fiddle, rhythm guitar, clawhammer banjo and vocals, Lynwood Lunsford on banjo, lead guitar and baritone vocals and Johnny Williams on rhythm guitar and vocals. Open For Business is a combination of old standards, traditional favorites, a new song by the prolific writing couple Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall, All That’s Left, and the original song This Time I’ve Learned by Jeff Michael and his fiddle tune entitled Back Stop. The former features lead vocals by Jeff Michael with tenor by Teresa Sells. The lead song, High Alleghenies, also has Jeff Michael singing lead along with Teresa Sells (high baritone) and Johnny Williams (tenor), thus showcasing the beautiful harmonies and drive of this group. Michael’s unique lead vocals can be heard on Ghost Of A Love, This Time I’ve Learned, Weary Traveler, I’ll Never Dream No More My Darling, Old Time Preacher Man, Old Kentucky Shore and The Bible’s True, an old time song attributed to Uncle Dave Macon, on which Lunsford plays three-finger banjo and Michael plays in the clawhammer style. Williams assumes the role of lead vocalist on Nashville Jail and Just Another Broken Heart, while Teresa Sells does likewise on I’ve Lost You and I Guess I’ll Go On Dreaming. Lunsford showcases on an old Don Reno tune Banjo Riff. The band is entering its twenty-third year in the business and this album demonstrates their outstanding musicianship and vocals. Each member possesses a unique style that, when combined, comes together in a performance that is their very best yet. Open For Business is Big Country Bluegrass’ first release on the Mountain Roads Recordings label. Karl Cooler, owner of the label said, ”We are extremely excited to have Big Country Bluegrass representing us and the very best of traditional bluegrass music. This album really showcases their talent and we hope to make the entire bluegrass world of this wonderful group and hopefully gain some recognition for their many years of offering their version of great bluegrass music. They are currently in the studio recording their next project, which we expect to be released in mid-year 2010”. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karl S. Cooler Mountain Roads Recordings 3192 Hwy 421 Bristol, TN 37620 (423) 878-4269 or (423) 217-3668

BAND CONTACT INFORMATION:

Tommy Sells (276) 655-4345 Days (276) 579-2265 Nights [email protected] www.bigcountrybluegrass.com