Big Smith is a band from Springfield, Missouri composed of five cousins: Mark and Jody Bilyeu, Bill and Rik Thomas, and Jay Williamson. Fiddle player Molly Healey brings the total to six creative individuals bound together by blood and harmony.

After coming together professionally in the fall of 1996, they quickly earned a devoted following playing raucous acoustic music that captured the spirit of their native Ozarks, equipped only with an acoustic guitar, mandolin, bass fiddle and washboard. These early gigs demonstrated to unsuspecting audiences what joy and liberation could be found in the raw mojo of indigenous, authentic Ozarks culture; albeit a culture interpreted through the eyes of modern, intellectually astute neo-hillbillies, if you will.

After imbibing in various stylistic detours over the years, Big Smith has returned to their roots with their latest CD Kin. Not only does Kin mark a return to acoustic instrumentation, the band physically revisited the location of their first two albums, The Studio, Lou Whitney's place in downtown Springfield, where the comfortable and familiar surroundings allowed them to perform nearly all of the songs live, with very few overdubs. Kin is not merely a nostalgic look over the shoulder, however, as the songwriters in the band continue to progress in their collective craft, fully on display over the course of these 15 songs.

Big Smith's performance schedule has them working upwards of 100 shows annually. They are still adored in their native Ozarks, but years of travel have earned them a place as a Midwest institution. They have made their mark outside their region with several forays to Chicago, Nashville, Austin and Colorado; several tours to the West Coast; and along the length of the Mississippi from the Twin Cities to New Orleans. They have enjoyed high-profile opening gigs for the likes of Emmylou Harris, Doc Watson, The Avett Brothers and the Del McCoury Band. Summer of 2008 found them traveling to Europe for the 21st Annual Country Rendez-Vous Festival in Crappone, France.

The 2005 documentary Homemade Hillbilly Jam, profiling the band and the music of their extended family, has garnered rave reviews and a legion of new fans through numerous screenings at film festivals around the world. The DVD has enjoyed wide circulation in Europe and the U.S.A via distribution through First Run Features.

Prior to the release of Kin, Big Smith released Roots, Shoots, and Wings, the first studio CD to feature their current lineup. Their discography was established with a pair of celebrated studio CDs - their 1998 self-titled debut and their 2000 release Big Rock. Their catalog is rounded out by Hay to Zzzzzz: Hillbilly Songs for Kids, a double disc made with their young fans in mind, and two live CDs; Gig, a rowdy double CD recorded in front of a hometown crowd; and Live at Lonestar, a gospel set that pays tribute to their family's musical roots.