Biography

At Tellico’s core is the voice and guitar of Anya Hinkle, evoking tones of Gillian Welch. Her sound is rooted in the mountains of her native southwestern Virginia, but seasoned by travels across the world. With arresting honesty, her singing and songwriting comes from the heart. The foil to Hinkle can be found in fellow songwriter, vocalist, bass and harmonica player, Greg “Stig” Stiglets. Inspired from the stories and events of daily life, his attention to melody and groove help to further showcase the instrumental prowess of the band

Both Aaron Ballance (dobro, lap steel, pedal steel) and Jed Willis (mandolin, clawhammer banjo, electric guitar) hail from central North Carolina. The state itself provides its own conservatory for study, and its students learn from first generation roots music pioneers as well as serious students of the genre in the classrooms of jams, bands and festivals.

These four musicians deepen their awareness each year of the synergy among them while eyeing terrain that is yet uncovered. From their converged paths emerges a sound that has jelled over more than a decade of collaboration. Their freshman effort Relics and Roses was well-received, gathering accolades from tastemakers and earning them stage appearances at the country’s most prestigious festivals (MerleFest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival) Tellico continues to grow as national touring artists bringing their ever expanding roots sound to an ever growing audience.