Nashville-based singer-songwriters Barry and Holly Tashian interweave bluegrass, contemporary folk, and country elements within their harmony-rich compositions. Producer Jim Rooney oversaw their five albums, among them Straw into Gold, which earned the NAIRD Award for Best Country Album of 1994, and Harmony, nominated for the Nashville Music Award as Best Bluegrass Album of 1998. Their songs have been interpreted by Ty England, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Roland White, Daniel O'Donnell, and Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin.
Barry Tashian first took up electric guitar in a rock band at age twelve and met his future wife in high school, yet the pair did not perform together until years later. He gained early notice as lead singer and guitarist of Barry & the Remains, the band he assembled in 1964 with fellow Boston University students. Columbia Records signed the group within two months. After several singles achieved regional success in the Boston area, the band moved to New York. In August 1966 they served as opening act for the Beatles’ final tour across North America. Dowling Press published Tashian’s memoir of the experience, Ticket to Ride, in 1996. Although the band dissolved after the tour, their self-titled debut album appeared in September 1966. Tashian remained active, joining Gram Parsons’ country ensemble the International Submarine Band. He also helped Parsons form the Flying Burrito Brothers and played on the solo debut G.P.
After their 1972 marriage, Barry and Holly Tashian launched the straight-ahead country band the Outskirts. In 1980 Barry replaced Ricky Skaggs in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, remaining nine years and contributing guitar and harmony vocals to ten albums. Since resuming their partnership in 1989 the Tashians have appeared as a duo, trio, or quartet. Barry has also worked as a sideman on albums by Charlie Louvin, Nanci Griffith, Iris Dement, Suzy Bogguss, and Delia Bell. Barry & the Remains reunited for the first time in more than two decades at the Mod Fest in Spain in August 1998. A promoter supplied Tashian with a tape of Spanish rock bands covering their songs, leading him to pursue further activity; the re-formed Remains released the new album Movin’ On in 2002. In April 2010 the band issued the track “Monbo Time” to support 1960s Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill Monbouquette during his leukemia struggle.
