The Big Cheese, Falls Church, VA
The Big Cheese is a family band plus one. Larry Rice (Father) plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, vocals and banjo if need be. Shannon Rice (Daughter) is on drums, keyboards and percussion, and Lea Mae Rice Camarda (Other Daughter) plays guitar, dulcimer, banjo and sings. Shannon is away for a two-year stint in San Diego as Lieutenant Shannon Rice, Naval Medical officer. Larry and Lea anxiously await her return. In the meantime, we'll use our stomp boxes to bring the thunder with our feet! Larry, Lea, and Shannon are lifelong Virginians and proud of it, and happy to be joined by Tennessean Julie Greene on mandolin, tenor guitar, and autoharp. Julie used to be a mandolin student of Larry's. When her enormous talent and vocal ability became apparent, we asked her to join the group, completing our unique sound.
WHAT'S WITH THE NAME?
Everybody asks. Larry and Lea were brainstorming possible names and wise guy daughter Lea, who claims temporary insanity, suggests "why don't we just call it Big Cheese" in reference to Larry's fondness for ridiculously cheesy jokes. "Great idea!" said her father, expecting her to quickly and desperately attempt a retraction, but the name stuck and we are … The Big Cheese. Apparently sarcasm AND cheesiness runs in the family!
