Music: Big Richard fills Missoula with bluegrass
William Munoz
(Missoula Current) To be successful as a musician, talent is a must. Talent as a songwriter, talent as a vocalist and talent being able to collaborate with other musicians.
The four ladies that make up the bluegrass phenom Big Richard have all the necessary qualities for success. They are each talented musicians and their vocals harmonize. They clearly have fun and are creating music that, while technically excellent, is emotionally powerful.
The band formed in 2021 when Bonnie Sims (mandolin), Emma Rose (Bass), Eve Panning (fiddle) and Joy Adams (Cello) got together at a Bluegrass Festival, when the promoter wanted to have female representation at the festival. They knew each other and after the performance came the desire to continue playing together. They genuinely enjoy each other's company as well as respecting the musical ability each brings.
Rose left the group in 2023 and Hazel Royer joined on bass. They have been playing in Missoula since first coming to the Longstaff House in October 2022. This venue can hold 70 or so people. They returned to town a few months later in February 2023 to play to a sold-out Top Hat, then in February 2024 at a sold-out Wilma show.
These three shows are evidence of the rapid rise this group has been experiencing. In a session of World Cafe, Joy Adams described the feeling she had the first time they got together and played; how the dynamic of four accomplished musicians with strong vision and personalities worked.
“I don't want to say it's competitive all the time but it's competitive about 98% of the time. When we first sat down in Bonnie's liveroom and started playing together, I was almost in tears because it felt so good. I could play my best solos because I wasn't competing with them.”
This explains everything about the appeal that Big Richard has. They are supporting each other, they are laughing with each other, they are growing as musicians. But even more, they growing as humans through music.
No doubt they will be back to Missoula and when they do, do yourselves a great favor and experience this band.