Junior Sisk founded Ramblers Choice (the original band name) in 1998, releasing Sounds of the Mountains on Rounder Records. After leaving Blueridge in 2006, he reformed the group, Ramblers Choice and began a successful career with Rebel Records. His 2011 album Heart of a Song helped bring the band into the spotlight and eventually was named IBMA Album of the Year in 2012. It’s single “A Far Cry from Lester and Earl,” which Sisk co-wrote, became a rallying cry for a resurgence of traditional sounds in bluegrass and received the 2012 Song of the Year Award from the IBMA. Sisk was furthered honored when he was named 2013 IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, while his band earned the 2014 SPBGMA Bluegrass Band of the Year award. In 2016, “Longneck Blues,” a collaboration with noted singer-songwriter, Ronnie Bowman, was named Recorded Event of the Year by the IBMA. Most recently, Sisk received the 2017 Male Vocalist of the Year award from SPBGMA. He and his band now record for Mountain Fever Records.
Junior’s band today is now simply known as, the Junior Sisk Band. The band consists of Johnathan Dillon, Tony Mabe, Heather Berry Mabe, and Curt Love.
Johnathan Dillon is in his tenth year as a member of the Junior Sisk Band. He’s the mandolin player, vocalist, driver, and bus expert.
Over the years, Heather Berry Mabe has recorded several albums including two for Tom T. & Miss Dixie Hall’s label, Blue Circle Records. She has sang all over the country at many different venues including the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. A two time IBMA award winner for her work with the Daughters of Bluegrass, and a two time SPBGMA female vocalist of the year nominee, Heather has been gifted with a mountain clear voice.
Tony Mabe, husband to Heather Berry Mabe, began playing music at the age of 6. Over the years he’s played with several well known bluegrass bands including, The James King Band, The Jeanette Williams Band, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass, Bobby Atkins & The Countrymen, and Travers Chandler & Avery County. He has won and placed numerous times at fiddlers conventions with his banjo.
Curt Love was first introduced to bluegrass music at 3 years old, but it wasn’t until much later he turned his love for bluegrass into a profession. The Junior Sisk Band is Curt’s first professional music job. A long time fan of Junior’s and familiar with his music for years, Curt was a great fit for the bass.
With the combined vocalists and instrumentalists currently in The Junior Sisk Band, a new level of good, traditional bluegrass is reached every time they take the stage or record a new album together.