Big Blue Mountain has gained and lost members and  changed genres since its formation seven years ago, when Cullen Porter and Joe Walsh began playing in each other’s homes. 

Porter said he and Walsh had not defined their sound and had a hard time fitting into any specific genre. 

Oftentimes, Porter, who runs a community program for teenagers, said they dabbled in a number of genres without finding which one they fell under.

They performed for years without an official name until Kris Bertrand, the violin player of the group and one of the vocalists (all four members provide vocals), joined five years ago, and her daughter named it during one of their rehearsals at Jackson Avenue Coffee, where they rehearsed regularly.  

After practicing on her neighbor’s patio for several weeks, the two original band members asked her when she would join; she said she was stumped.

Bertrand started playing the violin at the age of 5 and was trained in the Suzuki method. 

Bertrand continued to play well into college and said she stopped after having kids.

“I grew up playing music that was all written, and these guys just played…there’s words on a page and chord notes,” Bertrand said.

She also said she is learning to play by ear instead of looking through sheet music to guide herself.  

Bertrand said Porter promised her he would provide her with sheet music, and that she stumbled upon her own sound after originally setting out to learn how to play bluegrass.

Outside of the band, Bertrand has been working on the board of directors for Coles County Casa, a non-for-profit corporation that watches over abused and neglected children in the county. 

Porter and Bertrand said music crosses into their jobs. 

Porter said he plays music for the teenagers he works with.

Two years ago, at a concert, Big Blue Mountain discovered Karen Jennings, the bass player for the band, when she blew them all away when they saw her playing on her bass, Porter said.

“We were like ‘What is that sound that is just nailing us to the ground,’” Porter said. “It was just awesome.” 

Years ago, Jennings formed a band with her sons and traveled around Illinois playing at several venues under the name the Jennings Family.

The group stopped playing, and Jennings said her daughters showed little interest in playing in a band with her. 

“When girls come along, you know, mom didn’t have anyone to play with. So mom just kind of slacked off, and then I picked up the bass and started up again a few years ago,” Jennings said.

Porter said he brings in the rock, Jennings brings in the bluegrass element to the band, Bertrand brings in the classical.

Jennings said she continues to play bluegrass because she loves that it is so uplifting any topic can be taken and changed into something positive.

“You can take the saddest song you ever heard and you’re going to be tapping your foot because grandma just got run over by a freight train,” Jennings said. 

Jennings said part of her love for bluegrass also stems from “The Beverly Hillbillies.

In the show, there was a group named the Darlings that was known for their bluegrass roots. 

Jennings said they her to and helped her enjoy the genre. 

With four core members in the band, Porter said the group developed a fuller sound, and they recorded an album, “Diane’s Cabin,” that was completed in less than two weeks.

The album has no layers; the four members provide all the background voices.

The songs were covers; everything else was made from scratch.

“We wanted to go in and do our own thing even though the producers in the recording studio recommended that we add other elements to it,” Porter said. 

Jaime Lopez can be reached at 581-2812 or jlopez2@eiu.edu.