Big House is an American country music band based in Bakersfield, California. Grounded in the Bakersfield Sound, originally, the band consisted of Monty Byrom, David Neuhauser, Chuck Seaton, Tanner Byrom, Sonny California, and Ron Mitchell. Under this lineup, Big House recorded two albums for MCA Nashville: 1997's Big House and 1998's Travelin' Kind. These two albums produced four chart singles on the Billboard country charts, including the No. 30 hit "Cold Outside." After the release of their second album, all of the band's members departed except for Monty Byrom and David Neuhauser. Benny Rappa was then signed as the band's new drummer, and Steve Vines assumed the role of bass guitarist. The revamped lineup recorded one album for Dead Reckoning Records before disbanding in 2000. The six original members reunited for concerts in 2007 and 2008, and released a fourth album in 2008 Never Ending Train.
Biography
Although its six members had all performed together in various lineups, Big House was not officially formed until 1995, when brothers Monty and Tanner Byrom first performed with four other musicians at a venue in Oildale, California. After realizing that they all seemed to work well together, the six musicians decided to form a band. Monty Byrom, who had previously penned hit singles for Eddie Money, assumed the role of lead vocalist and guitarist, while Tanner served as drummer; the other four original members included harmonica player Roy Lackey, bass guitarist Ron Mitchell, and guitarists David Neuhauser and Chuck Seaton.
Major-label debut
Throughout the 1990s, Big House played throughout their native state of California. They had also tried to make themselves known in Nashville, Tennessee. Big House was not well received by Nashville until Neuhauser suggested that the band submit a demo tape to Tony Brown, president of MCA Nashville Records. A demo tape was sent to the label, and by 1997, the re-tooled demo tape was issued as the band's debut album, also titled Big House. Three of the album's singles entered the U.S. BillboardHot Country Songs charts, including "Cold Outside", which peaked at No. 30. A second album, entitled Travelin' Kind, followed one year later; its lone single, "Faith", peaked at No. 63.
Membership changes and disbanding
After the release of their second album, however, most of Big House's members parted ways; Tanner Byrom and Chuck Seaton returned home to their families. Monty Byrom and Neuhauser then recruited Benny Rappa and Steve Vines, who took over on bass guitar and drums, respectively. The four-piece lineup recorded one album, Woodstock Nation, which was issued in 2000 on Dead Reckoning Records, an independent label owned by songwriters Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch. Big House disbanded shortly afterward. The six original members reunited in 2007 and 2008 for concerts in Bakersfield at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace, and released a fourth album in 2008, Never Ending Train. In April 2017, Sonny California died in Las Vegas following a brief illness.
