Embassy of The United States
Yerevan, Armenia
16 June 2005

U.S. Embassy Brings Bluegrass Mountain Music to Armenia
“Bob Perilla’s Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band” performed several concerts in
Gyumri, Dilijan, Lake Sevan, Vayots Dzor, and Yerevan, at the invitation of
the U.S. Embassy in Armenia.

U.S. Embassy Brings Bluegrass Mountain Music to Armenia

“Bob Perilla’s Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band” performed several
concerts in Gyumri, Dilijan, Lake Sevan, Vayots Dzor, and Yerevan,
at the invitation of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia. Bluegrass, a
uniquely American form of music, is vibrant, fast and fun. Known for
the distinctive sound of the banjo, four-part harmonies, and raucous
fiddle playing, the bluegrass sound originated among 18th century
settlers in the Blueridge Mountains (which run along the America’s
east coast, from Georgia to Virginia.)

“Bob Perilla’s Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band” is a five-member
bluegrass band based in Washington, DC, which performs bluegrass,
country, folk and original material and boasts over 100 years of
combined musical experience.

The band’s instrumentation includes: guitar, fiddle, upright bass,
banjo and mandolin. The group has appeared several times at the Kennedy
Center, is performer-in-residence at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival
and performs regularly in Washington, DC area music clubs.

The band completed its tour of the Caucuses in Armenia, after
performing in both Georgia and Azerbaijan.