Avery County is committed to the sound and image of old school "Baltimore Barroom" bluegrass with original and obscure material and in your face kick you in the teeth stage shows. Not to mention young charming and good looking.

Avery County is a new touring band of seasoned professional musicians playing in the style of pioneers like Charlie Moore Red Allen Buzz Busby Walter Hensley and Dee Gunter and bringing back the entertainment factor in bluegrass music. And the spirit of Baltimore Bar room bluegrass where good women and better music was king. The band took its name from the 1978 title of a Charlie Moore album citing their strong influence from Charlie Moore.

The band felt it was important to point to the man that had a profound impact on all of the members in the group. They were raised on the diet of bluegrass. They are from the heart of bluegrass country but they are young and energetic with a bit of a wild streak and wanting to take the REAL lonesome sound to a new and younger audience. Recently at an appearance on Broadway in Nashville TN they were referred to as the "Ramones of bluegrass."

 

 

Avery County Bluegrass members sing and play with a honky tonk bar room edge. They have toured with bluegrass greats such as Audie Blaylock, Karl Shiflett and the Big Country Show, and a 9-year stint with the hard edged James King Band. Their songs delve into the darker side of life that bluegrass was meant to explore, but groups have shied away from lately. They aren't afraid of alcohol, cheating, murder, and even redemption. Powerful originals mixed dark obscure bluegrass from the Baltimore/D.C. honky tonk bluegrass scene of the 1960's.

Influenced heavily by Charlie Moore, Buzz Busby, Red Allen, Frank Wakefield, Dee Gunter, Walter Hensley, Carter Stanley, the band feels every note they play and sing and relays that to the audience in a way that only a true bluegrass experience can bring. They can even bring a little joy with just the guitar and mandolin with the old time gospel sound.

Recording credits for members of the band include:

"Bed by the Window" -- James King Band
"Thirty Years of Farming" -- James King Band
"Mama Lives in Paradise" -- Mitch Harrell
"Ain't God Good" -- Paul Williams
"Purgatory Mountain" -- Jackass Flats
"Now Showing" -- Heather Berry
"Carolina Calling" -- New Classic Grass
"Bluegrass Piedmont Style" -- Misty Valley Boys

TRAVERS CHANDLER--An old soul born after his time, sharing the raw vocal prowess of the first generation masters who formed this music, Travers' emotional power makes you wish you could still tune in WSM round about 1942 when many of his heroes were just getting their start. Travers spent most of his formative musical years studying under his idols such as Charlie Moore, Buzz busby, Frank Wakefield, Red Allen, Bill Monroe, Vernon Derrick, and Walter Hensly and Dee Gunter. His fiery mandolin playing makes it almost impossible to confine yourself to your chair as you sit and watch him explode with enthusiasm. He started his professional career running the roads with acts such as The Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show, Lynwood Lunsford and The Misty Valley Boys, Gary Brewer and The Kentucky Ramblers, Audie Blaylock and Redline, The James King Band and The Bluegrass Brothers before forming Avery County in 2006. He sings lead tenor and baritone for the group while handling all of the MC duties. Originally from Richmond VA Travers makes his home in Roxboro NC.

CHRIS HILL--Have you ever really enjoyed sitting down on a Saturday night and listening to scratchy vinyl? Chris has spent many countless hours studying his heroes in just this way; painstakingly mastering his skill one note at a time. Chris' five string banjo is very reminiscent of the true greats such as Don Reno, Ralph Stanley, Rudy Lyle and Earl Scruggs. Not only his he a fine instrumentalist, but one of the finest traditional tenor singers since Curly Seckler. Chris has worked with the James King Band, Karl Shiflett and The Big Country Show, Gerald Evans and Paradise, as well as The Wildwood Valley Boys. Chris makes his home in Covington, KY.

PAUL PRIEST--There are several things a good band leader looks for when hiring a bandmate. One being are they a good musician? The other being are they good to travel with? Paul Priest is first class in both of these categories. Paul's rock solid bass playing rings true from his heroes Jack Cooke, Bob Moore and Henry Dockery. Growing up in a house full of bluegrass and classic country records, Paul was educated on the real stuff from an early age. Paul has played with some of the most traditional bands in bluegrass including The Wildwood Valley Boys, James Monroe, Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top Express and Tommy Brown and The County Line Grass. Paul makes his home in Custer, KY.

MATT JONES--Rhythm guitar seems to be a lost art within the world of bluegrass today. The masters of bluegrass rhythm; people like Red Allen, Charlie Moore, Larry Sparks and Jimmy Martin, all possessed the qualities of finesse, power and drive. These are the same traits that make it easy to stand next to Matt each night onstage. Matt was fortunate enough to have not only met, but had the chance to learn from two of these heroes firsthand. Matt further honed hsi craft both vocally and instrumentally by working with such people as Marvin Davis of The Kentucky Gentlemen, Paul and Joe Mullins, Gerald Evans and Paradise and his 10 year partenership with Larry D. Sparks in the group Blue and Lonesome. Matt makes his home in Middletown, OH.