Travers Chandler Adds Two New Members to Avery County!

Travers Chandler and Avery County

are thrilled to announce the addition of Tony Mabe Jr. from Walnut Cove, NC on five string banjo, guitar and vocals, and Merl Johnson from Asheville NC on fiddle. Travers Chandler and Avery County are a young, rising, traditional bluegrass band based in Asheville NC who base their sound on the "barroom honky tonk" sound found in place like Baltimore in the 1950's and 1960's played by folks like Charlie Moore, Red Allen, and Buzz Busby. Their new album on Patuxent Records "State of Depression" has received great attention and airplay in the infancy of its release and even gained a spot at #7 on the Bluegrass Music Profiles Albums Chart in February. Their schedule is growing for 2011 and beyond and they have already appeared on PBS' "Song of the Mountains" and are slated to appear at such prestigious festivals as Lil Johns Mtn Music Festival, The Durango Bluegrass Meltdown in Colorado, The Albino Skunk Music Festival in SC and Pickin in the Pasture in New York.

Tony Mabe replaces the departing Adam Poindexter who because of work commitments couldnt continue any further. Tony has been a part of many groups including the Jeanette Williams Band, as well as touring with his wife Heather Berry. Recently he spent 2010 as a member of the James King Band. Travers Chandler shares his excitement " I have known Tony for almost 10 years and he is one of my closest friends and we are very fortunate to have him in the band. He understands what we are trying to do and has even contributed two originals for our next album. We will definitely miss the spark and energy Adam brought to the band and i cherish his friendship, but we are looking forward to what lies ahead. Tony's first shows were in January and it clicked immediately. We are excited because we can still maintain our ability to put four or five different vocal arrangements outthere to the folks and that's something special and unique."

The band now goes from four pieces to five as they add Merl Johnson to the band on fiddle. Merl is an extremely talented multi instrumentalist originally from Woodbridge VA whose resume includes a stint with Dave Evans where he recorded the Rebel album "Pretty Green Hills". Chandler continues " I have known Merl for a long time and have always respected his abilities. It takes a certain kind of fiddler to really try and accomplish what we are and Merl is it. He's a gentle soul with huge talent." Merl joined the band on Jan 1st 2011.

Here is a video of a Jan 29th appearance of the band at the historic Wheeling Jamboree: www.ustream.tv/recorded/12332752

Scroll the Slider to about the 5:00 Min. Mark to get past the Set-up!

Original members Travers Chandler on mandolin, Eddie Gill on guitar and Jessica Smith on the upright bass remain as the core of the group.

More information including tour dates can be found at www.averycountyband.com