Country/Bluegrass Quintet
Country Current, the premier country-bluegrass group of the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., showcases a five-member acoustic ensemble performing traditional, contemporary and original bluegrass compositions. Former Country Current director, Master Chief Musician Bill Emerson, established the ensemble in 1989.
The bluegrass group began playing to standing room only audiences in libraries and concert halls in the Washington metropolitan area. Soon after, the group received national attention on TNN's "Nashville Now," WWVA's "Wheeling Jamboree" and at Opryland Park. Over the years, they have performed with the legendary bluegrass artists such as Alison Kraus, Nickel Creek, Rhonda Vincent and the "Father of Bluegrass," the late Bill Monroe.
The ensemble is in constant demand by the nation's most prominent bluegrass festivals. They have made multiple appearances at the Wintergrass Bluegrass Festival (Tacoma, Wash.), the Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival (Hillsdale, N.Y.), the Withlacoochee River Bluegrass Jamboree (Dunnellon, Fla.), the Blythe (Calif.) Bluegrass Festival and the Music in the Mountains Festival (Summerville, W.Va.). The bluegrass ensembleperformed at the 2000 and 1997 International Bluegrass Music Association's (IMBA) 
"Awards Show" and "FanFest," and in 1994 they performed at the IBMA's "Showcase." In addition, they have appeared at the Lewis Family Bluegrass Festival in Lincolnton, Ga., the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in Ancramdale,N.Y., the Kissimmee (Fla.) Bluegrass Festival and the Cherokee (N.C.)Bluegrass Festival. In 2002,the group was featured at the Folk Festival in Anchorage, Alaska, and in 2001 at the Mississippi Bluegrass Reunion in Purvis, Miss. In 1992, they traveled with the Navy Bandandperformed at the Swedish Army Tattoo in Stockholm.
The members often compose their own songs, which have been featured on Country Current recordings, including Country Current LIVE and Sugarland Run. Their music has been heard on radio stations around the nation, and they have been featured on XM satellite radio.
