Band Bio

Hailing from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia Hollow is based out of Floyd, VA.  

Virginia Hollow's sound is a blend of Americana, Country and Folk, with a hint of Bluegrass and Rock. The trio plays original songs with a few hand-picked covers occasionally sprinkled in.

Virginia Hollow shows are filled with good-natured and ever-changing banter between the band members and audience. Lighthearted, fun, quippy, and sometimes serious, their off-the-cuff commentary adds to the entertainment factor. Their curated sets will take you on a journey through life's ups, downs and in-betweens. On stage, through heartfelt songs and genuine performances, Virginia Hollow connects with their audience on an emotional level leaving listeners with a lasting memory.  

Carrie Hinkley: Lead Vocals & Acoustic Guitar 

Sue Winchester: Upright Bass & Harmony Vocals

Brad Collier: Lead Guitar, Multi-instrumentalist

More About the Band

Founder and lead singer of the band Virginia Hollow, Carrie is a singer-songwriter from southwest Virginia. 

In 2017, Carrie released her self-titled album that was recorded at Windfall Studios in Floyd, Virginia. 

 

Starting at a very early age, Sue was singing British folk tunes and Gilbert and Sullivan, along with her English grandfather on zither, and her dad on piano.  Her first instrument was flute, and she studied music as a minor in college.  At 12, Sue and her older brother began performing together, guitar and vocals, for the Navy hospital on Guam; they kept the duo going for several years.  Sue went solo in her late teens and 20’s, singing and finger-picking 6- and 12-string guitar at clubs all over the island of St. Thomas.  Years later, an interest in bluegrass prompted a curiosity about upright bass…and all else was forgotten.  Who cares that you can fit a flute, or a guitar, into any vehicle…it was a love affair with the upright from that moment on, to the exclusion of everything else.  She played 12 years with the Shuey Brothers bluegrass band in Pennsylvania.  Playing and harmonizing Carrie’s original songs, in the Virginia Hollow trio format, is both a challenge and a blessing.  

 

Brad Collier grew up in Floyd County, VA before heading out at the age of 18 to play music and make memories all over the country. After a couple decades of the musical life on the road, Brad returned home to VA to watch the grass grow for a while and to reconnect with his Blue Ridge roots. He plays music from and inspired by a thousand years or so our collective musical history, while making each piece very much his own.

Reviews

"We were setup all weekend At The Floyd Center for the Arts for Artdaze/Floydstock, and we had a truly memorable time we will never forget! Floyd is a special place where Art, Music and creativity come together, and it inspired us to create really good eats for y'all that attended this fun event!! We were truly blessed to hear the closing musical performance by Virginia Hollow who literally stopped us in our tracks with their amazing soul stirring music. We hope Floyd to see y'all again down the trail!" Buckin Good Eats & Lemonade LLC (7/31/2023)

"They rock! They are awesome! Extremely talented, funny, fun and what a show. Do yourself a favor and check ‘em out soon." Lisal Kayati Roberts

Places & Events

 Festivals:  

  • Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (Bristol VA/TN 2022)
  • Circa Blue Fest (Martinsburg, WV -2019)
  • Floyd Americana Festival (Floyd, VA - 2019, 2021, 2022)
  • Floyd Yoga Jam (Willis, VA - 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
  • MerleFest (Wilkesboro, NC - 2018)  
  • Newbern Fall Festival (Newbern, VA - 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)  
  • NorFOLK Festival (Norfolk, VA - 2019)  
  • Salem Fair (Salem, VA -2021)
  • Steppin' Out (Blacksburg, VA - 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Charities & Causes:  

  • Cabin Fever Terry's Fork (Pilot, VA - Cabin Fever Fall Fling: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019  &  Cabin Fever: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023)
  • Floyd PRIDE (Floyd VA -2021)
  • Girls Rock Roanoke Fundraiser (Salem, VA - April  6, 2019)  
  • James Helms Benefit (Oak Grove Pavilion, Floyd, VA - October 6, 2017)  
  • Plenty! Harvest Festival (Floyd, VA - October 21, 2018)  
  • Springhouse Community School Benefit  (Floyd Center for the Arts, Floyd, VA - January 18, 2019)  

Other Cool Stuff:  

  • Opened for The FLOORBOARDS (Legendary Biscuit Sessions at 5 Points Music Sanctuary, Roanoke, VA - April 23, 2017)  
  • Opened for Larry Keel - The Larry Keel Experience (Legendary Biscuit Sessions at 5 Points Music Sanctuary, Roanoke VA - April 30, 2017)  
  • WUVT (Blacksburg, VA - March 26, 2017 & March 9, 2022)
  • WVTF Roots Down Session hosted by Luke Church. (December 1, 2018)  
  • TV - Daytime Blue Ridge, WSLS 10 (Roanoke VA - January 16, 2019)
  • Blue Ridge Backroads Show at The Rex Theater & 98.1FM WBRF (Galax, VA - December 10, 2021)
  • WBCM 100.1 FM The Birthplace of Country Music - Radio Bristol, Appalachian Travels show hosted by JP Parsons ( Bristol, VA - January 21, 2022)
  • Floyd Center for the Arts (Floyd, VA - 2019, 2022, 2023)
  • Floyd Country Store (Floyd, VA - 2017-Present)
  • Pulaski Theatre (Pulaski, VA - March 5, 2022)
  • Rhythm & Ribs and Art in the Park (Pulaski, VA - August 13, 2022)
  • Bower Center for the Arts (Bedford, VA - April 2, 2022)
  • Bonnie Kate Theater (Elizabethton, TN - June 17, 2022)
  • Blue Ridge Music Center (Galax, VA - 7/29/2023)
  • Heritage Day (Christiansburg, VA - 9/19/2023)
  • Count Pulaski Day (Pulaski, VA - 9/30/2023)