Country singer Larissa Tormey. Photo: Emilia Krysztofiak Rua Photography.

‘The Big Man’ looks all set to be a big hit for Larissa

Deirdre Verney

Published: Thu 14 Feb 2019, 3:38 PM

Last updated: Thu 14 Feb 2019, 3:50 PM

'The Big Man' looks all set to be a big hit for country chanteuse Larissa Tormey when she releases the track as her brand new single on February 15.

The song, co-written by the legendary Loretta Lynn and Shawn Camp, features on Loretta's recent album, 'Wouldn't It Be Great' (2018). The upbeat, country/gospel coloured tune is a very appropriate selection for Larissa, whose last single, her version of the classic 'Far Side Banks Of Jordan', became a Top 20 hit on Irish country radio, and repeated that feat on the European Hot Disc chart.

And as she revealed this week, Larissa, who will once again be performing at the Hot Country TV Awards Concert in April, actually has Hot Country TV founder Hugh O' Brien to thank for recommending 'The Big Man' to her.

"Yes, I'm very excited to be performing at Hugh's Awards Show again later this year, it's going to be a great night, like it always is. And it was Hugh who told me about 'The Big Man', and said he thought I should record it.

"My last single, 'Far Side Banks of Jordan', which I brought out towards the end of last year, was really well received and I was delighted with the response to it, especially as it was such a very personal song for me. It always reminds me of, and makes me feel still close to, my late mother. Hugh thought 'The Big Man' would be the perfect choice of song to follow-up with, because it has a similar feel to it. So it's a continuation of the spiritual journey that 'Far Side Banks Of Jordan' began for me."

So might this - the country/gospel route - be a road Larissa journeys even further down in future? "I think so, because if you look back at the history of country music, so many great artists, like Loretta, and like Johnny Cash, and all the way back to Hank Williams, there was a strong gospel element to what they sang, too. And these are songs that are very beautiful, and that can still touch peoples' hearts in a special way. And I think it's important that we still make records that can do that," she said.