View Chigger Hill Boys & Terri's Full Bio Below
Artist Description | Chigger Hill Boys & Terri
Who are The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri?
Mike Richards: Mandolin
Terri Argot Gore: Vocals
Ricky Gore: Bass
Mark Dunham: Guitar & Vocals
Bob Stangenberg: Guitar & Vocals
Where did The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri come from?
Mandolin player Mike Richards was influenced by the sounds he heard in childhood days spent in rural Kentucky, from back porch singings, tent revivals and church gatherings. He brings to the group a love of the “Ancient Tones” he remembered from his youth. The vocal performance is supplied by singer / songwriter Terri (Argot) Gore. Terri is from the northern tip of the Appalachian mountains in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where she began singing with her family at their small rural church as a child. She implements a traditional mountain vocal style reminiscent of the early works of Dolly Parton. Bassist / sound engineer Ricky Gore grew up in Missouri and was influenced by a vastly musical family. He found himself most interested in the rhythm of the music, played drums for many years and found the transition to stand-up bass completely natural. Mark Dunham plays guitar and sings background vocals and joined the group after the release of the “Will Play for Pie” album and is the Minister of Music at the Rosedale Baptist Church in Nashville TN. Bobby Stangenberg has been playing guitar since age eight and has been in several regional bands, including playing guitar for Southern Gospel quartet “The New Sunshine Boys” (Bob had also co-written “When I Got Down On My Knees” on the “Will Play For Pie” CD).
Occasionally, helping out on the road is long-time Statesider (as in Mel Tillis and the Statesiders), Brian Sterling. Brian plays banjo, dobro and lends a voice on background harmonies. You might also see Al Goll lending a hand on dobro.
The group formed in the summer of 2001 when the members got together to have a little fun at a local bluegrass festival. The group decided to record a home-made five song EP to sell at the festival to make a little gas money. The song “Face To Face With Amazing Grace”, from that at-home project, began to get a little airplay and before they knew it, the song was appearing on both national and international Bluegrass and Christian Country charts. The song went to #13 in the “industry standard” magazine Bluegrass Now Magazine’s Gospel Truths chart and all the way to Number One on the nationally syndicated Power Source Top 20 countdown. The song has recently appeared on the widely popular, chart-topping, various artist compilation O Lord How Great Thou Art.
From small things Big things come...
After the initial success of their independent release, the group signed with Gospel Music powerhouse Daywind Music Group, recording for their Thoroughbred Records division. Thoroughbred was the home, at the time, for legendary Gospel Bluegrass group The Lewis Family. Their first release for Thoroughbred was 2003’s Oh Brother… What Now?. Continuing what had started with their independent project, this CD contained several now “classic” Chigger Hill tunes. Songs like “Water To A Drowning Man”, “Are You Praying Hard”, “Glory Hill”, and “Face To Face With Amazing Grace” are still strong staples in The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri’s live shows today. Much chart success followed the release of “Oh Brother..”, and the group began to be one of the most talked about new acts in bluegrass. Not going for speed and flash, but beautiful harmonies and songs with a heart made a connection for the group to the listening public. The album didn’t go unnoticed come time for the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards either. The project was nominated for Bluegrass Album of the Year.
They followed that up releasing Will Play For Pie, their next Thoroughbred Records project in 2004. The new project stretched the writing of the group, writing most of their own material is a goal for the group. It also incorporated new sounds, such as the cello on “First Steps In A New Direction”, a #1 song on the Power Source Magazine Bluegrass charts. The album also featured a homage to the classic songs of the legendary Easter Brothers with “They’re Holding Up The Ladder”. The project also included “He Still Looks Over Me” which was written by Mike & Rodney Lay Jr. and which also won a Dove Award for Bluegrass Song Of The Year in 1999 for the recording of it by The Lewis Family. The project also contained such Chigger Hill classics as “He’s Been My Rock For Ages” and “Now I Can See”. “Pie” was the group’s second CD to be nominated for a GMA Dove Award for Bluegrass Album of The Year.
Trials & Tribulations
Just as the group’s star seemed to have no limits to it’s flight, the group experienced a long period of “trials & tribulations” to quote the Chigger Hill classic “Are You Prayin’ Hard?”. It was a time for “Prayin’ Hard” indeed. Former singer/guitarist Rodney Lay Jr. had begun having a bout of what was believed to be some strain of the flu. As time went on, it become increasingly clear that this was far from a simple bug. It came to a halt the night Rodney went to the ER and was put almost immediately into Intensive Care. What followed was months and months of close calls, therapy and study. Rodney came close to death and the group focused it’s full energy on praying for Rodney’s recovery. In the months that followed, Rodney continued therapy and recovery, eventually leading him to Oklahoma for further treatment and recovery. Once back ‘home’ in Oklahoma, Rodney received an offer to return to the world of radio, a place that was made for his natural DJ voice. In February of 2006, Rodney had to make the tough decision that the next move for him was to be back to Oklahoma and to return to Tulsa radio with Big Country 99.5. During this same period of time, long-time contributor, both in the studio and onstage, Brian Sterling was in a near fatal auto accident returning from playing in Branson, Mo. one night. His injuries were quite severe. This left the group wondering what would be the next move. At this same time, Mike was being fought with health problems of his own. What would be the next move for The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri?
Time To Re-Fire The Engines
After months of trying to answer the question of what’s next, Chigger Hill made their next move. In June of 2006, Bobby Stangenberg joined Chigger Hill on guitar & vocals and the wheels began to turn again. Just as quickly as the train started moving also came the need to return to the studio to begin to record a new CD. Work began on the new project just weeks after returning to the road. Soul Central Railroad is the culmination of their efforts, in what some are calling their strongest release to date. Soul Central Railroad features a guest appearance from original Chig Rodney Lay, Jr. and, in one of the highlights of the project, a duet with Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Louvin, of the Louvin Brothers.
Why are The Chigger Hill Boys & Terri so popular?
The band would like to believe that their growing popularity lies in the purity of the music, the ultimate in “back-to-basics”. The group believes that there is a higher power responsible for their success and the unexplainable chain of events that has brought them to where they are and has set them on a path for a bright musical future. They believe that once you follow the path that God has established for you, everything else just falls into place.
Is there really a place called Chigger Hill?
Yes, there really is a place called Chigger Hill! It’s in Burkesville, KY, the ancestral home of Mike’s father’s family for more than 100 years. Burkesville is also home to The Cumberland River Bluegrass festival, a favourite date on The Chigger Hill schedule every year.
Find great deals and new music at a store near you.
Stay up to date on the lastest in music news, concert listings and contests. We ask for your province and postal code so we can notify you of events in your area.
